To Catch a Thief
by beafstew
Summary: "I promised myself I'd kill you if I ever saw you again...but lucky for you, I have some self-restraint." Laxus leaned in close, close enough that she could feel his breath on her face. Her teal eyes looked into his storming ones, loathing the man before her. The Dragon Slayer snarled, "You're going to tell me why you're here. Right now. Or I'll let some of that restraint go."
1. Part 1: The Meet-Cute

**Hello all**

 **So Fairy Tail has been a guilty pleasure of mine for a long while (although I don't read the books, just the english dubbed cartoons) and this summer I decided to re-watch it and actually decided to write about the OC i've been thinking about/ drawing for the past couple of years. I hope you all have fun reading this because I've had a lot of fun writing this, and I'll try to stay on top of updating as much as I can. Reviews always help writers block and that way I'll also know what works and what doesn't.**

 **Anywho, enjoy!**

* * *

Chapter 1:

"I don't have time for this."

"Hands off, asshat!"

Laxus ignored the girl's protests as he slung her over his shoulder. He let out a soft grunt as she began to kick wildly and scream. People looked over in concern at the scene, and the Fairy Tail wizard tried to give a friendly smile to assure everyone that everything was fine. It must've come off as a snarl of some sort because people began to back away with fear in their eyes. Oh well, close enough. Laxus blamed the enhanced canines that came with being a dragon slayer. At least it got people out of his way for now.

The last thing he needed was a mob and this girl escaping yet again. He tried to move as quickly as he could away from the masses but for some reason, his lightning transportation wasn't working. It was like he couldn't concentrate his magic energy enough to create the form of magic. He needed to have better focus- but at the moment, moving as quickly as possible was most important. It seemed that on foot was the best option because there was absolutely no fucking way he would get in a vehicle. His heavy steps echoes on the streets and the townspeople backed away and stared at the scene unfolding.

It was a beautiful sunny day in the little harbor of Edera, and that peace was absolutely destroyed by the screaming, fully armed, and fully grown woman over his shoulder.

"Put me down _now!_ Someone, anyone help! Help!"

Her fists pounded at Laxus's back and the ridiculously long sword that was strapped across her back hit Laxus's ear in the most annoying way possible. Laxus grit his teeth and electricity began to crackle off his feet as he stomped toward the quiet part of town with the rundown inn. She didn't stop struggling against him, trying to twist, kick, or hit her way off his back.

Finally, a well placed kick hit him in just the right spot on his ribs and he lurched forward. Laxus stopped, gathered himself and exhaled audibly, trying to maintain composure at this truly insufferable situation.

The girl's butt was perched on his shoulder and her torso hung down on his backside. His arm was wrapped around the back of her knees, and at his sudden pause, she tried to twist and swing her torso up to grab him by the back of the neck.

Laxus growled and grabbed her kicking legs and sent a current of electricity through her body. She cried out and slumped downward, spewing out more expletives as her body went slack from the electric shock.

Laxus patted her calf and said between clenched teeth, "You can come quietly, guttersnipe, or you can continue to test my patience. You're not needed alive, you know."

"Bullshit," she responded, but did not offer any more resistance. Satisfied, Laxus resumed his brisk walk to the inn. The sword pommel still hit him on the back of the head, but it was still a vast improvement from before. The girl was silent and hung limply on his shoulder. He appreciated the silence, and quickly arrived at the inn thanks to her compliance.

—Two Days Ago—

"Laxus, _please_."

"Why can't you send someone else?" He heard the whine in his voice, but he truly didn't have time to waste on a simple, tedious job like this. Laxus was practicing his magic in a dried river's gorge, sweating under the hot sun, when the emergency communications lacrima went off in his bag. He thought maybe something important happened, something so dire he needed to get back to Magnolia immediately. Instead, it was the same old Fairy Tail mess, but Mirajane was making _him_ clean it up.

He was a god damn Dragon Slayer (god damn it) and an S Class Wizard and should not be subject to menial jobs such as this one. He had better things to do with his time; he needed to train for the Grand Magic Games. Fairy Tail owing money to someone? Nothing new about that. He had bigger problems to worry about, like mastering his new Dragon Slayer Secret Art.

"Because we need someone with a Dragon Slayer's sense of smell. Wendy and Natsu have disappeared, and Gajeel is on the other end of Fiore. You're less than half a day's journey to Edera!"

The blonde mage wanted to make a scathing remark that Mira was the one contacting him, not his grandfather, but he bit his tongue. Instead, he asked: "Why can't you just have Gramps write an apology note and say we'll pay the 400,000 jules after we win the Grand Magic Games?"

The white haired wizard narrowed her eyes slightly, a look that meant she was much angrier than she let on. Laxus ducked his head, "Right. I'm sorry, I don't understand the situatation. Why don't they charge whichever wizard messed up?"

"Because no one in Fairy Tail _took_ the job _._ "

Laxus's eyes narrowed. "What do you mean?"

"A wizard who called themselves Mavis took a job from the Royal House of Imperico,

they ended up taking their money and stealing from them."

Clouds started to gather overhead. Laxus's brow furrowed and he clenched his fists.

"Mavis?" He echoed; his entire body was tense at the thought of someone disrespecting their guild like that.

"The Master was also taken into custody until the 400,000 jules are returned (which we don't have), or this wizard is captured! You have _three days_ before Master Makerov's goes to trial for theft and bankruptcy." There was a loud thud behind her, and Mira glanced over her shoulder. Laxus realized she was in a closet somewhere, away from prying ears. He narrowed his eyes.

"There's no way it would stand in court."

"But the seven year debt we've amassed _will_. We've been trying to keep a low profile and slowly pay off our debt, but if the Master goes to court, the guild may have to declare bankruptcy and shut down."

Laxus's jaw twitched. "How much debt is there?"

Mirajane's eyes were sad, and her face dropped. The usually perky expression was now replaced with a worried, tired one. She shook her head. "I haven't even calculated it fully yet."

Laxus was silent.

The sun was hot, and slow rolling beads of sweat dripped down the back of his neck as he processed the information the white haired wizard delivered him. It made him angrier the longer he thought about it, and electricity began to dance off his forearms and fingertips. He looked down at the ground and glared, bringing his temper back under control.

"Three days, eh?"

"You'll do it?" Mirajane was back to her happy self, but Laxus heard the slight disbelief in her voice. He looked up, and stared into the lacrima.

"Of course." Laxus's mouth tightened and his tattoo tingled as he declared, "No one disrespects Fairy Tail like that and get's away with it."

— Currently—

Laxus was beginning to open the door to the inn, woman over his shoulder, and

when his ass was suddenly, very aggressively squeezed. He straightened and began to spin around in surprise, spluttering an expletive. The girl snickered. During his brief loss of concentration, his grip loosened around the back of her legs. The woman used that lapse to her advantage and swung her two feet into his side. He grunted at the powerful blow and stumbled into the stone wall of the inn.

She slithered off his back and landed on her hands; she did a back hand spring and softly landed on her feet.

"Damn it!" Laxus cursed and spun to face the slender woman. She was already running back down the street, screaming for help about a madman.

Laxus's expression darkened as a slow, burning hatred boiled in his stomach. He sucked in a breath and felt the ether nano enter his blood stream. He yelled, "Lightning Dragon Roar!" but only a puff of lightning escaped his mouth- probably belonging to the ether nano he just absorbed. That wizard tried it again with the same frustrating result.

That little bitch must've quietly drained him of magic energy.

Laxus let out a low growl and began running after her. The sun beat down and sweat gathered beneath his thick grey cloak. The pungent smells of fish, seaweed, livestock, and overwhelming masses of humans flooded his nostrils, but the only scent he cared about belonged to that woman he needed to apprehend.

He turned the block and arrived at the bustling port once again. Laxus scanned his surroundings and inhaled deeply. The smell of leather mixed with cinnamon shampoo reached his nostrils and he snapped his head in the direction of the scent.

Shit.

The woman's blonde ponytail flashed on the deck of a ship and his stomach dropped. There's no way he could keep his breakfast on that vessel, or his dignity. Despite the nausea he experienced just _looking_ at the ship, Laxus grit his teeth and began pushing his way toward the end of the dock. Just as he arrived at the edge, his stomach dropped further to see the ship had casted away all lines and had begun to sail out of the harbor; there was already 30 feet of water between Laxus and the stern of the boat. The wind blew in its favor, out to sea, and as the seconds stretched on, more and more distance fell between him and the boat.

People were waving at the departing vessel, and Laxus stared at the ship in disbelief. How had he failed? Gramps needed him and he let him down. Laxus closed his eyes and tried to feel if his magic energy had come back yet. Nothing. He looked toward the water and considered swimming- he felt fine physically, after all- and then looked back up at the boat, which was even farther away now.

The crowd on the stern of the boat parted slightly as the blond woman pushed her way to the front. Laxus's eyes widened as he met her gaze. She gave a big wave and smiled. Then she held up a small, gold ball that sparkled in the light and winked. The Morphos Lacrima.

She had it this entire time.

— One Day Ago —

"The Morphos Lacrima is an incredibly rare and incredibly valuable type of lacrima, you know. It stores Magic Energy, and it can be repurposed in any way the user deems fit." Ximus, an advisor to the Royal House of Imperico informed Laxus. They walked through the high ceilinged halls of Euphorbia Castle, where paintings, statues, and gilded scaffolding (things on ceiling of wall that are like embellishments) decorated the walls. Guards were posted every twenty feet or so, dressed in head to toe chainmail and polished gold and blue armor. Laxus wondered why these highborn used as much security as the king of Fiore, but he bit his tongue.

Instead, he looked at the navy robed advisor next to him and stated: "That sounds like every type of lacrima."

Ximus gave him a dark look and folded his arms. "This lacrima _takes_ magic power. The lacrimas used in Phantom Lord's Jupiter Cannon were modeled after this type. Not only does it gather ether-nano from the air, but if a spell is cast in front of it, it can absorb that spell. You can use it to power anything."

Laxus narrowed his eyes, "That sounds like it should belong to the Wizard Counsel, not a small Royal House."

"Well it certainly shouldn't be in the hands of a thieving Fairy."

The wizard grit his teeth and resisted the urge to punch Ximus in his hooked nose. He made no comment, and the advisor smirked.

"Mavis took a job to help us find another lacrima- she claimed to have a special connection to them." He gave a short laugh and glared at Laxus, "We paid her for a fake lacrima. If you bring us the real Morphos Lacrima, Mavis, or 400,000 jules the debt will be considered paid. Bring us both, and we'll pay you the 400,000."

"How'd she fool you with a fake lacrima? It sounds like it'd be pretty distinct to me."

Ximus's eyes narrowed and he glared at Laxus. His angry expression- lowered eyebrows, narrowed eyes, and taut mouth- must've been terrifying to most. But Laxus thought his gaunt cheekbones and thin lips made him look more like a hairless cat. The advisor reached inside his robe and brought out a small gold orb. He tossed it at Laxus, who held it up and looked at the lacrima. It was gold and emitted a soft light. There was also a faint scent still on it- something that smelled feminine, with cinnamon and leather. He sniffed a little deeper, trying to commit it to memory.

"This looks _exactly_ like the Morphos Lacrima. Size, weight, color, everything's the same. We only found out it was fake when we tried to power something up." Ximus puffed his chest up defensively.

Laxus rolled his eyes and tossed the orb back to the regally dressed advisor, who struggled to catch the object. The Fairy Tail wizard inhaled again, committing the scent to memory.

"Whatever. I'll make sure to track down the imposter. Who knows, maybe I'll even get you the Morphos Lacrima for kicks."

— Currently —

Laxus's expression darkened and he clenched his fists. The waves crashed beneath the dock and wind whipped at his back, favoring the departing boat. Anger began to pump through his veins and a low growl erupted from his chest. A rush of magic energy flooded his body as he realized that she was not only escaping, but, rather, she was escaping with _everything_. Clouds began to form overhead and block out the hot sun. A crack of lightning filled the air and people began to scream.

The girl was not smiling anymore; she began to back away. Laxus grinned and disappeared in a flash of lightning. He saw her begin to run to the covered cabins; he knew he only had one shot. He touched down inches before her, and she slammed into his chest. He wrapped his arms around her and summoned another lightning bolt before his stomach could realize he was on a boat.

"You're coming with me, guttersnipe."

Laxus and the girl were yanked into the air and she began to yell again. Just touching her for a few seconds, and Laxus could already feel his magic power dissipating. He clenched his teeth and looked for the inn.

" _Cut it out_ if you don't want to decorate the pavement." He said through his teeth and her fists hit his chest again. "Fuck you!" She growled, but Laxus felt his magic power stabilize as she relaxed. He narrowed his eyes and felt a twinge of satisfaction. Now able to focus, he aimed for the quiet inn where they could get away from prying eyes.

Lightning blasted against the stone road and they tumbled to the ground.

Laxus rarely traveled with others through lightning, and whenever he did it was always a rocky landing. He blinked the stars out of his eyes and felt relieved that the girl was securely in his arms. She blew hair out her face and her striking bluish green eyes glared viciously at Laxus. They were enticing, and had it been different circumstances, he may have enjoyed a woman like her pressing her body into his. However, his eyes became trained on the gold tattoo on her left cheekbone. It was the familiar symbol of a Fairy.

He sneered and sent a violent electric current through her body.

Those blue eyes rolled up in her head and she slumped against his chest, finally unconscious.

* * *

 **Things to remember because I made my own town:**

 **Edera: small seaport town, approximately a half day's journey from Borwatt (reference Episode 225)**

 **Edera is run by the Royal House of Imperico, which provides guards, laws, etc. The royal family lives in Euphorbia Castle**

 **Ximus is first advisor to the Imperico House.**


	2. Getting Acquainted

Chapter 2

Laxus knew he could just turn the girl into the city guards and his mission would be complete, but something didn't sit right with him. He had some questions, and he figured intimidation would be the best way to get them. The girl (who couldn't be more than 19 years old) was propped up against a wooden chair and her head lolled backwards in a state of unconsciousness. Laxus actually had the opportunity to take in her features, which were unusually attractive. She had warm dark skin and a shapely, athletic figure. Her thick, champagne blonde hair was pulled back into a thick ponytail that stretched down to her hips, and there were two braids that reached past her shoulders, tucked back behind her ears and baby hairs fell across her face. Her flowy black pants were tucked into stained and distressed thick white fabric that wrapped around her knees and acted as knee guards. Her top was a black cropped, sleeveless turtleneck with white lining the edges, and a dark leather corded necklace wrapped around her neck multiple times and ended by tying off with a teal blue charm that looked like a lifesaver.

Laxus had removed the sword and its sheath which was strapped across her chest and the thick leather belt imbedded jewels from her waist. He couldn't help but stare at the massive blade on the table; even Erza rarely wielded such a _long_ blade. The old, rusted Claymore sword was almost as tall as her and was crudely wrapped in the same cloth that covered her knees. It looked like there was once an angel engraved on the hilt, but it had since worn away. He sensed a faint, unfamiliar power wafting from it; maybe its power is to give those it cuts tetanus.

The Morphos Lacrima was in his inner coat pocket, which was draped around his shoulders. Laxus shifted his weight and dragged out a chair, slipping his jacket off his shoulders and placed it on the back of the chair. He spun the chair so its back was to the unconscious wizard, and he saddled the seat, resting his forearms on his coat.

Now all he had to do was wait for her to wake up.

Finally the girl stirred, groaning as she moved her head off the back of the chair. She shifted her weight and slowly blinked her eyes open, clearly trying to gather herself.

"You know, for a thief, you don't carry a lot of stuff."

Her eyes went wide as she realized her situation. She tried to bolt off the chair, but a magic circle lit up around her feet. Electricity cackled upward and danced around her feet, and the girl promptly sat back down. She put her head in her hands.

"Oh, god."

"Call me Laxus," He smirked despite himself and the girl's sighed into her hands.

"Ugh, you're one of those?" She lifted her head up and her eyes flicked to the lightning scar on his face. Her brows shot up in recognition, then furrowed in suspicion. "Wait- ' _Laxus'_? You- you're supposed to be dead. The all strongest wizards in Fairy Tail died seven years ago- it- it's the weakest guild in Fiore."

Despite the twinge of annoyance at her comment, Laxus looked down at himself and put a hand on his chest. He pressed his fingertips into his chest and then pulled down the collar of his shirt so the black Fairy Tail emblem peaked out beneath the purple fabric. He could barely keep the smirk off his face. "Yeah, I'm definitely alive." His expression hardened. "And so are the others… which means Fairy Tail is the _strongest_ guild in Fiore."

The girl's expression fell and pure dread filled her wide eyes. _Yeah, you fucked up._ Laxus wanted her to simmer in that realization. "And you not only stole the Morphos Lacrima," He glared at the gold emblem on her cheek, "But you stole from Fairy Tail."

Her blue eyes hardened and she looked around at the room. It was a small space with only one window that cast light on a dingy bed and the dark small bathroom was in the corner. They sat opposite of the bed in the two wooden chairs, the small table to their side.

"Then why didn't you take me to the authorities already?"

"Because I want some answers for myself. Starting with what's your name. What is it, and why did you use Fairy Tail's First Master's name?"

The girl folded her arms and crossed her legs. She looked at him cooly beneath thick lashes. "I don't have to tell you anything."

Laxus narrowed his eyes and lifted his hand up, drawing his fingers into a fist. The magic circle lit up and began to tighten around her, electricity cackling closer and closer to her open toed sandals. She tucked her feet underneath the chair and sighed, fiddling with one of her braids. "Alright. You caught me- my name is _not_ Mavis. I admire her and all the magic she used, which is why I used this emblem… also 'cause I didn't think anyone in Fairy Tail would've been strong enough to take me down." The dark skinned girl pursed her lips and looked over Laxus with a mixture of distaste and appreciation.

"What's your name?"

She pressed her lips together and didn't respond. Her eyes darted to the window, and Laxus felt annoyance begin to blossom in his chest. It showed through his lightning, which elevated in power. The yellow characters of the magic circle burned even brighter. The air became thick with the smell of ozone.

"I'm sorry, I didn't quite catch that," His eyes were narrowed and his tone dangerously polite. The girl flicked back a stray hair and pursed her lips. "Those seven years missing must've really fucked with your hearing because I didn't say anything."

Laxus bristled, anger beginning to make his blood feel hot. His hands gripped the chair tightly and he repeated his question, enunciating each word slowly: "What. Is. Your. Name?"

"I'm not going to tell you."

"Excuse me?"

"Did I fucking stutter?"

Laxus stood up and thunder boomed overhead as the brittle wooden chair clattered to the ground. He moved toward her in a blur, reaching out to grab her throat. His fingers began to push past his magic circle and that's when he felt it. His magic energy began to flood out of his fingertips- draining his reservoir of power. Laxus snapped his hand back and glanced down at his coat, which was still folded over his chair. She still sat there, calmly looking up at him with crossed legs and a slightly disappointed expression across her face.

"You're- you told Ximus you had a connection to this lacrima- it's because you drain magic energy."

She began a slow clap, and Laxus narrowed his eyes, no longer feeling so in the dark about this wizard's motives. The female wizard wanted to get him riled up, she _wanted_ him to grab her. She rolled her eyes at him and smirked, the Fairy Tail emblem rippling with her smile.

"Look at you piecing things together. Do you want a cookie?"

Laxus took a step back and folded his arms. "Why did you take the job? Why couldn't you just steal it?"

"Because they had a sort of knew where it actually was _and_ I got paid for finding it, which I did. I just didn't give it to them."

"Uh-huh. You're really a standup citizen, you know that?"

She shrugged, "All in a days work." The wizard stretched backwards, yawning slightly. Her chest pushed out and Laxus's eyes traveled down to trace over her body, despite himself. However, her fingers brushed the back of the magic circle and Laxus felt the breach in his gut. A small pulse of electricity raced down her forearms. She sucked in a breath through her teeth and moaned a bit; Laxus glared, knowing she was testing to find any weak points in him or his magic.

When they made eye contact again, she leaned forward and twirled a blonde braid around a finger. "Laxus, Laxus, Laxus. _Whatever_ do you plan to do with me?"

There was enough suggestion in her voice that Laxus didn't have to think too hard about what she was referring to. A part of his mind entertained the idea, but then the Fairy Tail wizard shut it down. He could tell when an offer was insincere. There was no doubt in his mind that if he lowered the magic circle, she would try to escape again.

So, the Lightning mage simply shrugged and turned around, picking up his jacket off the chair. "I dunno… Probably gonna call Ximus and tell him I found his little thief." He pulled the thick coat over his shoulders and pushed his chair under the table.

The girl went silent and Laxus turned his head in surprise. No snarky remark? She was pale, and the aloof manner in which she carried herself was replaced with something much more expressive- much more fearful. Her eyebrows knit together, and the sad, terror filled eyes made Laxus feel like he just killed her dog.

"Don't look at me like that- you did this to yourself after all." Her expression hardened and that look of fear was replaced with anger. She glared at him and stood up, gripping the chair with one hand. Laxus turned around completely and raised an eyebrow. "What? You're gonna deny it?"

The girl's grip tightened around the wood and the sound of splintering wood filled the quiet room. Laxus straightened and looked at the angering wizard. The magic circle increased in power, and she growled. He still couldn't sense any magic power from her, but the air had shifted and the tension was almost palpable. He narrowed his eyes.

"I had hoped you were actually like the Fairy Tail I had heard of… shoulda' known everyone is the same, no matter their reputation." She put her hand on the barrier and lightning lit up around her palm.

There was an immediate nagging in his head as she began to force her magic against his. Laxus grit his teeth and increased the pressure of his magic while she let out a grunt at the pain. Lightning seared her flesh- he could feel it in his bolts, but he also felt the spell weakening until- _BAM._

Laxus took a step back and squinted into the blinding light. He was able to make out her dark clothes first; the mysterious wizard stood over the fading magic circle, chair in one hand and a glowing hand. Even though he couldn't A grin spread across Laxus's face, "So, it's a fight you want?"

He didn't move as she stepped into a crouch, eyes fixed on the man standing before her. Laxus smirked and folded his arms, silently inviting her to take her best shot. She pulled her glowing hand back and a white magic circle appeared around her hands.

"No, I want to end this."

 _How cute._

"Do your worst, babe."

The girl yelled as she thrust her hand forward and sent searing energy into Laxus's shoulder shoulder. It stung, but it barely left a bruise. Still, it pushed him back a step, and he glanced down at the affected area, curling his lip. What was the source of that power? It didn't taste like anything- it wasn't ice, or fire, or lightning, or _anything._ For that matter, he couldn't didn't sense a damn ounce of magic energy from her. He looked up at the sound of her light footsteps, only to see a chair swinging up at him. The wood splintered against his skin and the force of her blow sent Laxus reeling. He tasted blood in his mouth and the side of his head pounded from the impact. Now unbalanced, she slammed her body into his side. He grunted and twisted around to grab her. A bolt of lightning struck her as they tumbled to the ground. The girl flinched at the impact, but seemed to tighten her grip around Laxus's stomach until it was painful.

What the hell? How could she be that strong?

He grunted as he hit the ground on his shoulder and looked up just as the girl flipped him over and slithered up to lock her legs on either side of him and pin his arms underneath her knees. She braced herself upright with one hand by Laxus's head, slipped her other hand under his jaw, and gripped his throat tightly. Laxus's eyes went wide- completely taken off guard by the surprising turn of events. They made eye contact and he smirked despite himself, "At least take me to dinner first."

Another bolt of light struck the girl, and her body seized up, clearly in pain at the hit. She screwed her eyes shut and dug her nails into Laxus's neck, letting out an uneven, pained groan the clenched teeth. Laxus began to sit up, not bothering to use his full strength against a wizard who was so clearly not in his league.

At that moment, however, the girl's eyes snapped open. What was normally blue irises were replaced by a gold glowing light, and pain suddenly laced down Laxus's neck and seized his entire body. He fell back to the ground, paralyzed and gasping as his magic energy was sucked away by the wizard straddling him.

 _Come on, come on! Natsu would never let you live this down_.

The thought of his guild made Laxus clear his mind. A thundering roar escaped Laxus as he tried to zap the girl, but everything seemed to absorb into her skin. The grip only got tighter and tighter the more energy she got, and magic circle runes began crawling up her arm. A searing, unbelievable pain began to fill Laxus as his magic energy was ripped from his body. Every molecule in his body felt like it was splitting in two, and the lacrima in his body felt like it was pushing upward, trying to break through his chest. He could barely see straight, and hardly registered the girl's words: "Sorry, this isn't personal."

Dark spots appeared in Laxus's eyes and he gasped for breath, finding it very difficult to breathe. He bucked underneath of her, trying to throw her off, but his body felt weak and she only seemed to get stronger the harder he fought. Everything got darker and darker, his thoughts fuzzier and fuzzier until- _BOOM_.

The hand on his neck and the weight on his body lifted and a bloodcurdling scream filled Laxus's ears. He blinked up at the ceiling and realized a shining blue sky had replaced the dark wood. Where did the roof go? He bolted upright, chest heaving and body shaking- tiny, tiny sparks flying from his hair.

The screaming hadn't stopped; it belonged to the girl as men with big rubber gloves and ropes hauled her backwards. They wore a seal on their chest- a swordfish speared over a wave- Laxus recognized it as the Imperico Crest.

There was an entire squadron of men inside Laxus's room, and they had lassoed six or seven ropes to the girl, pulling them taught from several different angles. They struggled to control her as she thrashed against the binds, kicking wildly and trying to summon a magic circle. Her eyes were wide and glowing, and Laxus was reminded of a rabid animal as he looked at her struggle and scream. Laxus saw her hand was pink and raw from where she grabbed him, and her back was smoking. She kept screaming something about, "No, I won't let you take me!"

The girl pulled down on one arm, and a knight went flying forward. She began to yank the other arm towards her, her enhanced strength sending the knights flying. Laxus began to stand, sensing that he would need to fight against her again. This time, he wouldn't hold back.

He began to suck in air, trying to absorb as much ether nano as possible. His legs wobbled beneath him and he grit his teeth. He needed more magic energy. The ropes around the girl snapped in the wind, but she still had ropes holding on to her torso and neck. They jerked from side to side and she cried out in pain again, before latching her hands onto the ropes that were wrapped around her stomach. A blinding light engulfed her hands and the ropes snapped. Her blonde hair whipped in the wind as she struggled to get the last rope around her neck.

Laxus let out a roar, "No! _"_

He couldn't let down Fairy Tail. If she took physical damage but boosted her energy, then he could pummel her to unconsciousness. The girl made eye contact with him and snarled, thrusting out a hand toward him to cast a spell. Laxus braced himself to take the hit, gathering what remained of his power and concentrating it on creating his own attack.

" **Enough**." A voice echoed in the room, and Laxus's power suddenly scattered. A shadow fell over the room, obscuring the shining sky overhead, and a chill went down Laxus's spine. The girl's glowing eyes faded and her magic circle dissipated. She fell backwards, choking and sputtering, towards the knights who held onto the rope around her neck. She hit the ground and gasped, regular blue eyes darting from side to side.

Ximus, draped in his lavish navy robes, stepped into the apartment. He looked at Laxus, who was sweating and trying to regain his breath; the advisor curled his lip and turned toward the girl, who was on the ground. He crouched down and stared at her, cocking his head to the side. His back was to Laxus, but the fear in the girl's eyes made Laxus feel as though he needed to intercede.

"You're bleeding." Ximus was looking at her hand that was badly burned; the skin had blistered, cracked and bled in some areas. Laxus hadn't really noticed it but Ximus reached for her fingers, and she slapped his hand away. The advisor withdrew his hand and looked at it. A satisfied look came over his face.

"Exquisite."

He withdrew a tiny black disk shaped object from his coat and tossed it toward the girl. Her eyes widened in recognition and she tried to scramble backwards, shouting, "No, don't-,"

She yelped as it landed onto her thigh, and four pinchers emerged from it. It latched onto her skin and sent dark rivulets of energy pulsing up her leg. A bloodcurdling scream filled the room as the magic seized her body. It was over in an instant, and she collapsed on the ground, trembling and unconscious. The advisor leaned over and plucked the disk from her and slipped it back in his navy cloak.

"What is that?" Laxus asked, his eyebrows knitting together.

Ximus shrugged. "This device causes the magic inside a wizard to turn against its user for a brief amount of time." Laxus narrowed his eyes, his gut told him that there was more that meets the eye, but he didn't press the matter. The advisor stood up and turned to face the Fairy Tail wizard.

"Laxus, you have outdone yourself. Consider all charges against your guild dropped." He reached out his hand, but Laxus's remained firmly by his side. The advisor's mouth curled downward in distaste, and he sighed. "If you really want money, it can be arranged."

"I'm not here for money. Mind telling me how you knew where I was?"

Ximus's eyebrows knit together in surprise. "You honestly think we _wouldn't_ watch you? We learned our lesson from before when dealing with your guild."

Laxus felt a stab of irritation at his words, "I've told you before, she's not a member of Fairy Tail."

"Then you won't mind if I take her off your hands, yes?"

Laxus rubbed his throat where her hand choked him. "Ain't no love loss there."

"Very good," The advisor nodded with satisfaction and motioned toward the knight who held the rope. The knight yanked upward with the rope and began to drag the unconscious girl out the door. Ximus's lip twitched upward in an attempt of a smile, and he turned to walk out the door.

"Our business together is over."

Laxus let out a breath and looked around the room. The roof was blown to bits and sunlight streamed through to show the destroyed room. Burn marks and the splintered remains of the chair were scattered across the room, and the bed was flipped upside down. The girl's sword and belt lay strewn across the floor. It wouldn't be long before a crowd gathered. Laxus sighed again and slumped against the wall. A round object brushed his leg from his coat, and he straightened. Ximus was just walking out the door when Laxus called after him.

"Wait a second- don't you want the lacrima?"

Ximus shrugged and waved his hand, not bothering to turn around. "Keep it, sell it, destroy it, I don't care about it now. We have everything we need."

* * *

So the plot thickens. In a straight up fight Laxus would obviously win, but in this instance he didn't recognize he needed to use more of his strength until it was too late. I'm not making an OC who's this ultra powerful being, but she is a baddie and it'd be a mistake to sleep on her. Updates coming soon!


	3. Enter: Borwatt

Chapter 3:

Laxus had stopped in the town of Borwatt* for the night and the opportunity to drink away his growing suspicion that something was not quite right with the job he just completed. His magic energy was low, and he could still feel that girl's hand around his throat, draining him of everything. God, give him an S Class job _any_ day.

He was in a dingy little tavern where the booze was cheap, and the shady patrons kept to themselves. At least no one bothered him as he got another round, but the more he drank, the more he wanted to find a fight. Where was Natsu when you needed him?

Laxus grumbled to himself, his brain fuzzy and body numbing as alcohol began to take over. His thoughts kept drifting back to his apartment, where the dark-skinned girl looked at him with those terrified eyes.

"'S her fault," Laxus mumbled to himself and took another sip from the tankard. He wondered what happened to the stupid girl who stole the lacrima. At the thought of the lacrima, he withdrew the orb from his pocket. He set it on the table and rolled it around. It was smaller than most; it fit snugly in the palm of his hand and felt extremely fragile. It was no longer a solid gold as it was earlier; it was now glassy and had a faded gold glow to it.

Laxus furrowed his brows as he looked at the small orb. The giant lacrima in the Jupiter Cannon was modeled after this tiny thing? He curled his lip in disbelief and returned to his drinking. He wanted to get back to his training as soon as possible and forget about this whole clusterfuck. Laxus looked down the bar and stared at the middle-aged female barkeep. She looked nothing like Mirajane, but nonetheless, he allowed his thoughts to drunkenly drift about his relationships at Fairy Tail.

He tried to make the thoughts happy- thoughts about childhood and friendship- but all he could think about was his bad decisions. He caused everyone so much pain for years- belittling them, hitting them, ridiculing them- and it all escalated to The Battle of Fairy Tail. _No. Stay away from that, bub. You'll never make up for everything you did, but all you can do is your best for the guild now. And you just completed a mission that helped Fairy Tail._

"Just wish I knew what happened to that girl," He grumbled into his drink. There was a small flash of light from his right, and he turned to look at the source. The lacrima began to glow and he knit his eyebrows together. It seemed like the translucent orb was bending light, trying to form some type of image in its hazy center. He set down his tankard and stared at the lacrima and suddenly, a short, piercing scream erupted from it.

Laxus jumped and slapped his hand over the orb with a thud. No one took much notice, but the bartender looked over at him. "Can I help you, hot stuff?" She rasped between broken teeth.

The lightning mage shook his head, and his brain felt very fuzzy as he tried to process if the lacrima had actually made noise. "I've… definitely had my fill tonight." He slapped some coin on the bar and stood up, scooping the lacrima back into his pocket.

He walked outside slowly, knowing he wasn't walking in a completely straight line. Laxus ran a hand through his hair and grumbled to himself. Another shrill sound erupted from the lacrima, and he glanced down, pausing by the stone statue in the dark street.

"What is going on here?" He growled and reached into his pocket to look at the magical object again.

"Look an old fart." An unfamiliar voice called out to him. Laxus looked up as four street kids encircled him, dressed in an array of bad fashion and hairstyles. Damn, he couldn't even sense them coming. They couldn't have been more than sixteen or seventeen, but judging from the two in front of him, they looked like they had no problem sticking their weapons in people.

Laxus raised an eyebrow, "What did you just say to me, pipsqueak?" His jaw twitched, and he lowered his hand that was reaching for the lacrima.

The dark-skinned kid with slicked back blonde hair and beady eyes grinned as he brandished his hammer. "Take in the scene, ya' old drunk."

"Talking smack when you're surrounded by armed thugs in the night? Someone's going senile."

Laxus twisted around to look at the blonde one and the dark-haired thug with his hair pulled back into a pony tail.

"Oh yeah? You must be talking about my dad. He's near as dumb as you brats." Laxus glared and gave them a once over. "The fact that you got three chest hairs between you _doesn't_ make me old." He looked forward and began to walk away, trying to keep his words from slurring. "Now go run on home to your mommies, why don't you?"

"Nuh-uh." The third thug was dressed in a pink jacket and had dark hair with green bangs. He pulled his sword on Laxus and grinned. "You can't pass until you pay the toll." The lightning mage's dark eyes stayed fixed forward and he counted to ten internally.

The fourth, pale skinny thug with a red hat was on his right and he swung his axe in front Laxus to continue the 'sales pitch'.

"We're taking your jewel one way or another, so ask yourself: do you want to end up broke or broken and bleeding?"

Laxus sighed and closed his eyes, trying to sober up enough to control his growing anger. He forced himself to count to ten. _…three… four… five…_ "Ugh, why do I bother?" He said aloud.

He opened his eyes and glared down at the pink shirted thug on his left. "Listen, this is the last time I'm gonna say it. Get out of my way." He pushed the blade aside and strode through the thugs.

They grunted in anger and one called after him, "You wanna die!?" Laxus was only a few, drunken steps away as they continued, "Fine, have it your way!"

Even intoxicated, Laxus could hear the whistle of a sword swinging down at him. He glared and flicked his eyes back, twisting aside as a blade sailed harmlessly past his shoulder. The pink shirted punk stumbled forward, and Laxus took the opportunity to twist around and kick him. He let out an _EEP_ as he went through the air. Laxus faced the three remaining thugs and watched as pink shirt went flying back, landing in the center of his three buddies.

"Bad move, dude," The thug with the ponytail growled, brandishing his bat.

"Broken and bleeding it is then!" Red hat declared.

"Get ready," Blondie warned them.

Laxus sneered. "I told you nimrods to go home to your mommies."

They flew at him from three sides, yelling, "Shut up old man!"

The lightning mage tried to keep his temper under control. He didn't have much energy and he didn't want to waste it… not that he would need his magic to kick their asses.

 _…eight… nine- fuck it._

He raised his hand and electricity cackled down his arm. Laxus slammed his fist down into the ground, sending an electric current out that caused the three to go flying backwards. They wailed as they hit the ground.

The three scrambled up, and blondie started sweating as he crawled backwards. "This is bad- that guy's a wizard."

"Why didn't he tell us that before we mugged him?" Another complained. _God these guys are idiots,_ Laxus thought to himself.

Lightning emanated from his body and the mage towered over the teenagers. "That was your last warning," He growled and clenched his fists. A surge of power went through his body. His jacket fell off and his shirt ripped off his body. Laxus needed to pound someone's face in right now.

"That emblem!" "This guy is a member of Fairy Tail!"

"Oh, crap!" They all said in unison. Immediately the four thugs got on their knees and started praying for mercy.

"We've made a terrible mistake, Mr. Wizard- we didn't realize you could put up a fight!" Pink shirt declared as he bowed his head down. Blondie managed to get the courage to come closer, and shakily held out a wad of cash.

"Please, ignore my colleague and take this." He couldn't meet Laxus's glowing gaze as his hand trembled and held up jewels.

"A small token of apology," Another one added.

"You tryin' to buy me off with a bit of stolen cash?" Laxus asked quietly, jaw twitching in anger.

Blondie's hand shrunk back, terror evident in his eyes. "Uh-uh- no sir- I mean maybe just a little-," "Get out of my sight you scum!" He roared, pulling back his fist and letting out an explosive bolt of lightning. The move took more energy than he thought, and Laxus stood over the retreating street punks, feeling his magic energy dissipating by the second. But the look of absolute fear on their faces was worth it. _Yeah, you fucked up,_ he thought as he sneered down at them. They cowered until they were far out of his sight. Their fear was a comfort to him.

Laxus picked up his coat and pulled out a new shirt. He fumbled with the dark shirt slightly, alcohol inhibiting his movements. After dressing, he proceeded to walk away from the stone sculpture, moving aimlessly though the town. His power dissipated and Laxus internally cursed because that little show of power depleted his recovering energy. The Fairy Tail wizard stalked down the dark street, feeling drunk and hungry and frustrated, fists clenched at his side and exhaustion tugging at his bones.

"Idiots," He muttered under his breath, not sure if he was referring to himself or the thugs.

He stumbled down the street and considered finding the train tracks to charge up on the third rail.

Laxus understood that girl had some type of ability in draining magic energy, but this was ridiculous. Why wasn't his magic energy restoring as easily? The blonde mage turned the corner onto a side street and continued walking, hoping to stumble upon an inn to sleep at, or an exposed wire to eat. Worst case he would sleep off the alcohol on the hillside somewhere and head back toward the training site in the morning.

This street had no lights and the moon was the only source of light in the dark city tonight. That is, until Laxus's coat shifted and a brilliant light emanated from his pocket. The blonde wizard looked down at the glow, disbelief and exhaustion etched on his face.

"Oh, come on." He withdrew the lacrima from his pocket and the once gold, once translucent, and now brightly shining orb cackled with electricity.

This is what was absorbing his magic energy? Laxus took it in both hands and shook the lacrima. "What do you do?"

The lacrima didn't reply.

Laxus grit his teeth and tried to crush it between his palms. This went on for a few moments, the Fairy Tail wizard teetering from foot to foot and muttering expletives under his breath. "At least show me what was screaming!"

Again, the lacrima just continued to shine brightly. The Dragon Slayer let out a puff of breath and gave the orb a particularly infuriated glare. "Fine. Have it your way."

The Morphos Lacrima was tossed unceremoniously onto the ground and rolled around on the cobblestone street. Laxus folded his arms and began to walk away, content to leave the insufferable object to whichever unfortunate soul stumbled upon it in the later morning.

That is, until a piercing scream filled the air once more, followed by: "Please… stop."

Laxus stopped in his tracks.

He wheeled around and stalked back to the lacrima. Laxus picked up the orb, which the light had died down and now a scene was reflected on its shiny gold surface. The image may have been distorted and stretched around the spherical shape, but the content was irrefutable.

A woman thrashed against a chair with red magic runes around it; the runes were slowly growing into the skin on her exposed arms and neck. She seethed in pain through clenched teeth and shook her head. Her light blond hair was disheveled and fell across her face and around her shoulders and tumbled over her front. The black clothes were ripped in several places and her dark skin was bruised all over.

There was a cut on her cheekbone above the faded gold tattoo of a Fairy, and blood began to drip down her face. The girl took unsteady breaths and tilted her head back over the edge of the chair, exposing a neck where there was an unmistakable bruise of a handprint on her throat, and blood started to trickle over the wrapped leather necklace at her clavicle.

"I'll ask again, where are the others?" A man smoothly asked. You couldn't see him in the lacrima, but a red glow emanated from the side, just out of the lacrima's vision.

"Oh, bite me," The girl huffed and kept staring at the ceiling of whatever dark, cobblestone room she was in. A dark caped figure stepped into the line of vision of the lacrima, but only their back was visible. Laxus watched as the man extended a hand and touched the blood on her neck. At their contact, she snapped her head down and jumped against her restraints.

"No- you don't understand what that will do!" The girl's blue eyes were wide with that same look of panic Laxus remembered in the inn. The man removed his hand and his back obscured whatever he did next, but the figure's shoulders rose up as he sharply inhaled. He exhaled, dropping his shoulders and sighed with satisfaction, "Exquisite."

The growing runes on the girl's skin suddenly ignited burned in a brilliant red and she screamed as the red glow grew and grew until it obscured the frame of the lacrima.

The lacrima pulsed red and a final scream erupted from the orb until it went blank. The orb was transparent again and Laxus was left speechless in a dark street, holding the small lacrima in an outstretched hand.

His mind raced, trying to process all that he saw. The girl was recognizable, but what the hell was going on? What did the man want from her? That cloaked figure's identity was obscured, but there wasn't a doubt in the Dragon Slayer's mind who it was. Laxus's thoughts, which had barely functioned moments ago thanks to all the booze and exhaustion, were now racing.

"Ximus." The Dragon Slayer's voice was barely a whisper. He went extremely still, like a predator about to seize its prey, every muscle taught and ready to spring.

This was his responsibility. Laxus delivered that girl to the advisor and, thief or not, she didn't warrant that kind of treatment.

"God damn it," He muttered to himself. Laxus wished the Thunder Legion was here and not on completing a job on the other side of Fiore. They'd get in and out before they knew what hit them. The Lightning Mage knew he had to go back to Edera and stop whatever was happening in that city.

* * *

 **So the next chapter should be pretty exciting. Get excited because it's going to be action packed. Read and review, it does great things for the ego and inspiration!**


	4. Parlor Tricks

Chapter 4:

Laxus stumbled off the midnight train into Edera, feeling like his guts were trying to escape his body. Since Tenroe Island, he started to feel more and more queasy on moving vehicles. He'd usually throw up as soon as he got off. But the past couple trips on trains and boats was positively unbearable. This train was no exception.

Mavis, he hated vehicles.

The torture device known as a train blew its whistle and rumbled out of the station, leaving a very nauseas Laxus alone on the platform.

 _This is Natsu's shtick, not mine_ , Laxus thought to himself as he gripped his knees and emptied whatever remained of booze and dinner into a nearby trashcan. It was like his innards were put into a blender. But luckily solid ground and lack of anything in his stomach allowed his nausea to pass. The Dragon Slayer wiped his mouth with the back of his hand and groaned.

He straightened and gazed out over the dark train platform. Clouds covered the sky and cast an eerie, dark shadow over the usually bright and bustling small town. The light of the moon shown through some of the clouds and hung directly overhead. Laxus glanced above. "Well, no time like the present."

The Fairy Tail wizard made his way to the decadent royal house. The city guards on the streets gave Laxus suspicious looks as he passed them, but they didn't stop him. Euphorbia Castle was a small castle, relatively speaking. It's white pillars and navy-blue tiling and gold embellishments certainly made it seem like something out of a fairy tale, but its actual building size was only twice the size of Fairy Tail's old guild hall. Laxus came to the wall lining its gardens and inhaled, trying to catch any type of scent from Ximus or that girl.

The damp smell of perspective rain, sweaty guards, and flowers reached his nostrils. Laxus let out a frustrated breath and looked up at the tall wall.

He could use the clouds to his advantage, but he would have to be conservative with his powers. About half of his magic energy had been restored at this point, and exhaustion still tugged at his bones. The Dragon Slayer would have loved to crawl into bed and do this later in the morning, but Laxus felt like this needed attention now.

Storm clouds began to swirl overhead, and Laxus called the lightning down. His body morphed with the bolt and he touched down just outside a door of Euphorbia Castle. A guard started to exclaim something, but Laxus slammed his fist into the man's gut and brought his other down on top of his head. The guard collapsed and Laxus opened the tall door quietly.

The blonde mage sniffed the air again as he padded into the superfluously decorated castle. Honestly, how many fine rugs, statues, and paintings did a royal family need? Every inch of the hallway was covered in art and oh-so breakable statues. The hall was dark, and this entrance was unpopulated.

There were no guards posted for a couple hallways, as far as Laxus could smell. Interesting.

He slowly walked through the dark hallway, the hair on his arms prickling as he observed his shadowy reflection in a mirror.

"Ugh, these places give me the creeps," Laxus muttered to himself. Give him a battalion of guards to fight or a rowdy bar any day. Incredibly rich and royal families- ugh- you could feel the incest and fratricide that haunted the regal house. He opened his mouth and he caught a whiff of Ximus's scent. Faint, but there.

Laxus followed his nose to a different hallway, where two guards were standing by the entrance. It was quick, silent work taking them down, and the Fairy Tail wizard proceeded into the hallway. This part of the castle seemed older. The ceiling was lower and arched downward. The white paint on the stone walls were starting to chip off and revealed dark rock beneath it. There were only a few paintings and statues, but there were no windows. Torches were sparsely placed down this long looming hallway. _If I were to make an entrance to a sex dungeon_ , Laxus thought to himself _, this is what it would be._

The scent of the royal advisor grew stronger and stronger the farther Laxus went down this hallway. It stopped at a small statue of a naked cherub holding a gourd overflowing with fruit. The scent went directly to the wall. Laxus's eyebrow twitched and he curled his lip.

Old castle, disappearing scent, conspicuous statue: it wasn't hard to put two and two together.

"Secret entrance, really?"

He glared at the marble statue and looked to see what made this concealed door open. The dragon slayer considered pulverizing the statue, but that would attract unwanted attention. Ugh.

Laxus dropped into a squat and sniffed again, trying to see if his nose could pinpoint any specific spot Ximus would have touched repeatedly. Unfortunately, his nose was not at the level of Natsu's. The longer the Fairy Tail wizard stared at the naked, fat, laughing baby, the angrier he got. Its elated expression was mocking him.

Enough is enough. Laxus stood up and grabbed the baby under its arms and yanked upward, grunting slightly as he ripped the statue out of the floor. A loud crunching sound of rock breaking filled the hallway, and Laxus tossed the heavy statue on the ground. There was a gaping hole where the cherub once laughed. Now it was face down on the other side of the hallway. Ha.

Gears and springs began to whirr under the floor. Laxus tensed and looked down nervously as the large stone slats underfoot began to move.

His stomach jumped as the hole widened and the floor moved back under the wall. It revealed a staircase leading underneath the wall into a deep, dark unknown. Scents of moss, damp stone, and Ximus flooded outwards. The grinding stones rumbled to a halt and the hallway was quiet once more.

 _Definitely a sex dungeon_.

Laxus sighed and knew he had to go down into that deep, dark hole. He proceeded to walk down the staircase, his footsteps echoing down the narrow staircase. The wizard rarely felt claustrophobic, but when the stone slats closed over his head and engulfed him in darkness, Laxus felt his pulse quicken and the walls felt like they were narrowing. He raised his fist and lightning began to dance around his fingers, illuminating the dark passageway in flickering light. Indecipherable voices began to reach his ears, and Laxus strained to understand the sound.

He reached the end of the staircase and paused when he saw a bright light at the end of the narrow hallway.

Laxus's eyes narrowed as a new, pungent smell hit him: blood.

Ragged breath and Ximus's voice were now apparent as well.

"…Imagine what an entire pint will do to a wizard!" Laxus tensed, the muscles in his back rippling under his black shirt, and he proceeded to walk towards the voices. His footsteps became lighter as the sounds in the bright room became louder.

"Even if I only have you, you are a female. Breeding you would be easy enough- just think of all the power your children would have!"

Disgust filled Laxus at Ximus's words. _What a fucking creep._ The girl made no response, which meant she was either unconscious or incapacitated. No way Klepto knew how to keep her mouth shut. Swallowing the bile in his throat, Laxus peered around the corner to see a old stone dungeon converted into some sort of laboratory. Brilliant torches burned at every corner of the moldy room, and a cell with a rod iron door was in the corner. Shackles hung down from the side of the wall, and books, beakers, and medical tools were piled onto various rolling tables around the quite a sex dungeon, but close.

The girl was strapped down in a chair, looking up at Ximus with fearful eyes. She sat up painfully straight in the chair, head forward and red runes covered her entire body and face. Her eyes were the only thing that seemed to be able to move as the slender robed man circled her, like a vulture looking for food. A tube was attached to her arm and a dark red liquid flowed into a hanging bag; Ximus was draining her of blood.

The advisor paused behind her and leaned down to stroke her cheek. He whispered into her ear, but Laxus's ears picked up the sound.

"Can you imagine an army of _Praesidio_ at my command?"

Questions began to flood through Laxus's head. Why did Ximus want her blood? What did it have to do with the lacrima? How did any of this happen?

The girl's blue eyes hardened, and she stared straight ahead. That is, until her eyes met Laxus's. Despite her features being locked by whatever spell Ximus had cast, her big eyes got even bigger as they widened in surprise.

The Fairy Tail wizard cleared his throat. "I hate to interrupt, but you mind telling me _what you think you're doing?"_

Ximus's hands clamped down on the girls shoulders in surprise and he jumped, looking at the source of the voice. He reminded Laxus of a wet ferret, his dark stringy hair plastered against his head and gaunt facial structure exaggerated as he sucked his cheeks in with apprehension. Of course, anyone with two brain cells would be looking at the Fairy Tail with apprehension given the circumstances.

Electricity began to cackle and pop around Laxus as he strode into the lab. Lighting boomed, loud enough to be heard underground. Laxus's dark eyes bore into Ximus's, and his hands clenched into fists beneath his dark jacket. He looked as though he were ready to snap anyone who challenged him in half.

Ximus quickly composed himself and brushed something off on the side of his navy robe. "Ah, Laxus. Welcome to my lab. I must say this is a surprise; what are you doing here?"

Laxus darkened at the advisor's words. A bolt of lightning jumped off his coat and electrified a nearby metal table.

"I could ask you the same thing." He was ten steps away from the advisor when Ximus started to back up. He didn't appear flustered, and his steps were smooth against the uneven floor.

"Maybe we can make a deal." Ximus smiled, an unholy, gruesome thing that Laxus immediately wanted to wipe off his face. "I can give you money, power, women- name it."

Lightning cackled and Laxus raised a fist, sparks dancing around his knuckles. He flicked a bit of electricity towards him, via his middle finger. It gave the advisor a clue as to what the Fairy Tail wizard what he thought of the offer. Ximus put up his hands and yelped as he hit the back wall. "Okay, okay! How about 10% of the blood stock?"

 _Blood stock?_ Laxus was now even with the girl, who was straining to look at him out of the corner of her eye. He glanced down at her and saw she was in bad shape. A nasty purple bruise was on the side of her temple, and her lip was busted as well. They must've roughed her up after apprehending her. And the runes on her body seemed to be under the the first layer of skin, tightly constricting her muscles and tendons.

The thought made Laxus seethe with rage. It boiled in his stomach and spread through his entire body. Ozone filled the air and he let out a roar. The blond wizard sprung at Ximus, winding his fist back for a violent punch. Laxus slammed his fist into his gut and lightning cackled. The skinny man crumpled around the Dragon Slayer's blow and flew backwards against the wall between the gated doorways. Electricity circulated around the man's body and he writhed in pain on the floor.

Laxus stood over the advisor and curled his lip in disgust. "You think I'm interested in whatever fucked up shit you've got going on down here? Think again." Lightning curled off his body and singed the inside of the Dragon Slayer's shirt.

Ximus gasped for breath and curled his arms around his stomach, curled up into a fetal position. "…How… unfortunate." He rasped. The advisor didn't seem to be getting up anytime soon, so Laxus turned around and went to go see how to help the girl out of the chair.

The wizard took a few steps toward the girl's chair when a low growl echoed around the room. He stopped and looked behind him, bristling. Behind the gated door, a hulking beast rammed its head straight into the bars. It snarled and clawed at the metal; the bars bent and cracked. Ximus chuckled and reached up to unlatch the lock.

"Laxus, I would like you to meet Maxima, my little lion."

If the lion was 'little', he would've hated to see what was considered normal. The lion's haunches came to Laxus's shoulder. It had no mane, but its fangs dripped with saliva as it pushed out of the dungeon door. The Dragon Slayer straightened and turned to face it, his eyes staring down the monster. It's reddish fur was dirty, and its ribs stuck out on its side. The lioness crouched, studying her prey, and her jaws snapped, sending a wave saliva toward him. Where it met the stone, it sizzled. A thick, iron collar was around her neck. Laxus glared at Ximus, who was picking himself off the ground.

"So you starve animals, too?" The Fairy Tail wizard snarled at the royal advisor, who shrugged and brushed the navy robe off.

"I rescued Maxima from a fighting ring. The beast owes her life to me. I'll do with it however I please."

Laxus snarled at that, and the lioness roared back, snapping her powerful jaws again. Her maw opened was big enough to swallow the blond wizard's head, and even though she was skin and bones, hard corded muscle moved beneath her fur, as if it were about to burst from the skin. Laxus didn't like fighting animals like this, especially animals who didn't act on their own accord.

"But you're right," Ximus continued as he retreated to the corner of the lab. "She hasn't been fed in several days. But I always find ways to fill her appetite." Laxus turned to strike at the advisor, but that was when the lion pounced.

Her claws swiped towards him and shredded the corner of his jacket. Damn. Laxus grunted as he pivoted away, energy seeping through his eyes and electricity oozed out of every pore. He darted forward and hit the animal in the belly, sending her flying upward. She roared in pain and landed on a metal table, scattering beakers and test tubes everywhere. The lioness's claws dug into the shiny surface, crumpling it like tinfoil.

"As you can see, my experiments enhanced every aspect of Maxima." Ximus proudly declared from the corner. Laxus slipped into a crouch and glared at the lion. "Shut up," He muttered. Maxima growled from her perch, her hackles raising up on her thin body. Her eyes were wide, desperate, and bloodthirsty.

This needed to end, fast.

They sprung at each other, roaring. Her claws dug into Laxus's shoulders and ripped downward, while he sent thousands of volts of lightning into her chest. He roared at her claws ripping into his skin, and a searing hot pain laced through the top of his chest. The smell of burning fur and blood filled the air. Laxus ripped off his coat and slammed his weight forward, sending the lion onto her back.

The lioness snapped her jaws inches from Laxus's throat, hitting the Dragon Slayer with frothy saliva and fowl smelling breath. Laxus let out a roar and grabbed her canines, prying her maw open. He sucked in a breath and magic gathered in his mouth.

"Lightning Dragon _Roar!_ "

He released thousands of volts of energy down the monster's gullet. The lioness spasmed as the shock traveled through her gigantic body and howled in pain. Smoke curled out of her mouth and her body moved no more. _He made me kill an animal for no god damn reason_ , Laxus seethed as he picked himself up. He ripped off his shredded, bloody shirt, and he turned to face Ximus, who was whimpering in the corner.

"You good for nothing, callous bastard!" That little brawl seriously depleted his energy, but Laxus didn't need a lot of magic to beat this pathetic wizard. He stalked over to the trembling advisor and picked him up by the embroidered cloak. Ximus was sweating profusely and his hooked nose trembled. His dark eyes seemed to shrink in fear. Laxus slammed him against the wall. The bricks shook a bit from the force, and the advisor let out a whimper of pain.

"You don't understand, she's a Praesidio!" The advisor exclaimed weakly.

"That supposed to mean something to me?" The Fairy Tail wizard curled his lip. Ximus swallowed and nodded ravenously, the gears in his head obviously turning a mile a minute.

"Their blood enhances any type of magic by unimaginable amounts! You have no idea how much people would pay-,"

Laxus sneered and punched him in gut, before following with a vicious uppercut. Blood and a tooth flew from the advisor's mouth, and he slumped against the wall, unconscious.

"I've heard enough," Laxus scoffed and unceremoniously dropped him to the ground. The advisor sagged against the moss-covered brick and the blond wizard spun to face the incapacitated girl.

As he walked over to the girl, he looked down and examined the claw marks on his chest. They didn't go too deep; his jacket took the brunt of the attack. Still, the wounds on his collar bones stung, and he sneered down at the wound, angry at its audacity to bleed. "You owe me, guttersnipe," Laxus said as he grabbed the back of her chair and leaned over her head.

For some reason, the back of her neck muscles straining to move. Why was she still tensing? He won, after all. _Guess you could call me your knight in shining armor_ , Laxus thought and surpassed grin. Maybe she'd fall to her knees and beg him to take her to bed, like a good damsel in distress.

Something hit the back of Laxus's leg, interrupting his thoughts of where the night could lead. "Huh?" He began to turn to look down at whatever hit him, but four pinchers inserted themselves into his calf, and immediately his muscles spasmed, unable to support his weight in that leg. Excruciating pain laced up his leg, and Laxus let out a roar of surprise.

He stumbled forward as he fell and made contact with the back of the girl's chair. The pain spread, much like his own electricity over his body. It felt like every molecule in his body had suddenly turned against each other and Laxus saw red as he struggled to keep his grip on the chair.

Under Laxus's weight, the chair toppled backwards and fell beside Laxus with a crash. The needle ripped out of the girl's arm and blood began to spill out from the blood bag and onto her forearm. She fell onto the floor beside Laxus, but she was still locked in the same, uptight sitting position. Her turquoise, angry eyes glared at Laxus, and her face shook as she tried to free herself from the runes.

The Dragon Slayer let out a roar of pain through gritted teeth and his body spasmed he looked over his shoulder to see Ximus standing tall and chuckling.

"On a normal day, Laxus, you would have taken me down without a problem." _And I still would if I had more magic energy._ The advisor walked forward. "But today is not a normal day." Ximus smiled down at the blood oozing onto the floor.

"My magic, in case you were wondering, turns magic against itself." He gave a short laugh and continued to walk toward them. "Usually it turns against itself in my _own_ body, so controlling it is difficult. That's why I transfer it to devices such as these." Laxus couldn't move his head to see what Ximus was referring to, but his mind flashed back to the spider-like device the advisor used on the girl at the inn.

Laxus's body trembled with pain and he shut his eyes, trying to force it out. It emanated from his calf. The pinching object was the source of this. Ximus walked past him and circled around to kneel by the dripping blood bag. He closed off the tube and stuck his finger into the small pool on the ground.

"Even then, most wizards would shake it off after a little while." He gave a bitter smile and lifted his blood-soaked hand from the ground. "'Parlor Tricks', they all told me. 'Nothing more than parlor tricks.'" Ximus opened his mouth and licked the liquid from his fingertips. The advisor sighed with contentment and smacked his lips. When he opened his eyes, a red glow emanated from his pupils. The sensations increased and Laxus roared in pain, feeling like his skin was peeling off his body.

"Not such a parlor trick anymore, is it, Laxus?"

* * *

 **to be continued!**

 **More to come soon :)**


	5. Rescued?

Chapter 5:

Ximus frowned. "You should be dead by now. My increased power should have destroyed your body!" The advisor huffed in frustration and a new level of pain laced through Laxus's body. He thought he might black out. It felt like something was crawling under his skin, burrowing into muscles and tendons. It was becoming harder and harder to move.

When the wave of power faded, the Dragon Slayer opened his eyes again, trying to blink away the spots. The constant agony seemed more bearable. He was actually able to focus on the things in front of him. Namely, the girl paralyzed on the ground.

The girl was staring at him intensely, like she was trying to tell him something. He squinted, not able to fully open his eyes. In his peripheral vision, he saw red runes slowly move across his shoulder. Shit. Her eyes dropped down and back up, down and back up. Laxus tried to crane his neck to follow her gaze.

His eyes landed on a brightly glowing disk imbedded in her thigh.

Their eyes met again, and Laxus understood what she was saying. _I need to get that off._ He clenched his eyes shut and tensed his entire body, trying to still the war raging against every fiber in his body. It was like releasing a hornet's nest in his blood stream, everything stung and throbbed from the inside out.

Ximus was busy picking up blood on the floor, grinning about finding every last drop. He didn't notice Laxus slowly, slowly start to reach his hand toward the girl's paralyzed body. The Dragon Slayer set his jaw and began to overpower the pain. _I am not going to die by this fucker's hand._ The thought was a comfort. His hands closed around the disk. It was hot and just enough room for him to squeeze his fingers underneath. Did he rip it out or crush it? There was a small, glowing red lacrima in the center.

His arm was starting to go numb. Well, no time like the present. Laxus roared as he decided to do both, ripping the device out her thigh and crushing it in his palm as he did so.

Ximus sprang backwards, "No!"

The runes on the girl's body faded instantly, and she sprung up to seize Laxus by the back of the neck. The dragon slayer felt like a rag doll as the powered-up runes immobilized him. He gnashed his teeth together as he was pulled into the girl's arms, trying to invite movement into his limbs. Ximus dived for them. She dragged them backwards from the advisor.

Suddenly, a slender hand gripped his jaw and pried his mouth open. "Ugh!" Laxus tried to protest. A hot, slick forearm was pressed into his mouth and air became extremely short as the tangy smell of blood filled his senses. She used her other hand to pinch his nose, forcing Laxus to breathe through his mouth. Her arms were around him like a headlock, and Laxus considered biting her forearm in half. The Dragon Slayer tried to thrash in pain and protest as the girl forced the dark liquid into his mouth, straight from the wound on her arm. The hot, metallic taste of blood splashed Laxus's tongue and he was forced to swallow it.

And suddenly, a lightness spread throughout his body. His head began to buzz pleasantly, and a hum filled the air as his magic power increased.

The pain from Ximus's device lessened and magic energy roared through the Dragon Slayer's body. It felt like someone just hooked him up to a train track's third rail; pure power pumped through his veins. His feet made purchase with the ground and he straightened upright, effortlessly breaking the girl's hold on him and the runes retracted from his skin. His blood was pounding and his heart rate elevated. Laxus hadn't felt this energized in days. And god, he was pissed.

Electricity engulfed his body and the device on his leg was pulverized in his surge of power. Ximus toppled over backwards in fear, knocking over the blood bag stand. Laxus wiped his mouth in disgust and tried to spit out the overpowering taste of blood. God, he wouldn't be able to taste anything for weeks without that residue on his tongue.

Laxus twisted around to scowl at the girl. She was bracing herself against the wall and clutching her arm. Her expression was guarded, and her eyes flicked over him nervously, as though she didn't trust the Dragon Slayer's next move. She looked ready to fight anyone around her.

"I didn't need your help," Laxus sneered. The taste of blood burned the back of his throat.

"Could've fooled me, you overgrown bug-zapper," the girl snarled back, and began to stand up.

Laxus bristled at her words and lightning cackled around him, painfully loud as it reverberated off the walls.

But the sound of metal crashing made him turn back to look at Ximus, who had pulled the blood bag from its stand and clutched it in his shaking hands.

If just a bit of blood completely restored Laxus's magic energy and then some, what would an entire bag do to Ximus? The Dragon Slayer didn't want to find out. He would strangle the girl later.

He pulled back his fist and poured his magic energy into his hand. Ozone filled the air. All sounds of electricity quieted as Laxus's body began to glow. A hum filled the air.

"Lightning Dragon _Breakdown Fist!_ " Magic was pulled from every inch of Laxus's body. Energy rippled across his muscles and down his arm as he summoned a magic circle. An enormous lightning bolt in the shape of a fist erupted from the circle and spiraled toward the advisor. It made contact and blasted through the walls, incinerating brick and metal alike. The Dragon Slayer grinned and let out a breath, feeling the excitement prickle his skin. As the dust cleared, Laxus faltered, wondering if he over did it. He didn't know how to completely control this power pulsing through his veins.

Ximus was all that remained in the wake of destruction, twitching pitifully on the ground. He squeaked in fear and uttered the words, "no…so close…" before promptly passing out.

That's it? Damn, he wanted an actual fight. Laxus exhaled and the tension in his shoulders dissipated.

The lab was in complete ruin. The smell of burnt objects, blood, animal, and ozone hung heavily in the air. There was a gigantic hole in the wall and it went through another wall behind it, revealing a network of tunnels and dungeons underneath the castle. The destruction was almost worthy of Natsu's team… well, he didn't destroy the castle, so there's that consolation.

The sound of fabric splitting made Laxus turn. The girl had removed one of the wrappings around her knee and wrapped her forearm in bandages. She used the remaining fabric to wrap her thigh where the disk used to be. Her cheek was still bleeding a bit as well.

"Thanks for the save, Boy Wonder." The girl didn't look up, and Laxus folded his arms. His blood still pounded, and he wanted to jump, run, or punch something. Instead, he breathed in and out a few times and tried to steady himself.

"So what' a Prae-whatever-it-is?" He asked, and she paused. Then, she resumed dressing the wounds and said softly, "If I told you that I'd have to kill you." There was no bravado in her words, and she said it as casually, like someone telling their partner, _'I'll pick up the kids today, honey.'_

Laxus tensed, studying the injured girl in front of him. She wanted to keep her secrets, fine with him. Still, the challenge resonated with him. Anticipation and bloodlust flooded his veins. He let out a bark of laughter, "Okay, then." This would be fun. "Give it your best shot."

Her eyes flashed up and there was a darkness in them, a promise that she would kill him if he continued to push. However, it would take more than a promise to bring Laxus down. _Come on, blondie. Make my day._

Electricity sparked in his blond hair, and he grinned. This was exactly what he needed. The girl straightened and clenched her fists. Her hands trembled slightly. Laxus looked her over and the prospect of a battle lost its allure. The girl looked like hell, and probably felt worse. He scoffed and the lightning around him dissipated.

"You can barely stand. Why don't you kill me tomorrow, Klepto?"

She straightened in surprise and looked like she was about to protest but thought better about it. The girl shrugged and said, "Sounds like a plan." She looked over at Ximus with distaste and frowned. "You can go ahead. I'll take care of this."

Laxus's eyebrows shot up. His magic signature was all over this room. If she killed the advisor, it would come down on him, on Fairy Tail. "Oh no, you're not doing any of that. You're coming with me." A spark of defiance ignited in the girl's eye.

"Oh, yeah?"

Laxus was getting tired of bullshit. He nodded shortly. "Yeah." He moved before she could react. In an instant, he hauled her over his shoulder and turned to leave. Laxus barely felt her weight on his shoulder, and he patted the back of her thighs with a smirk. "We're leaving now."

A kick was her response.

"You could at least put on a shirt," She growled, then made a noise of disgust. "And dress your wounds! Your blood is ruining my clothes!"

Laxus glared at her butt and scowled. "Oh no not the clothes," He said sarcastically and continued, "This entire situation is your fault."

"My fault?! You over grown troll, I would've never been captured if it wasn't for you!" She tried to kick his side again, but Laxus bent forward, sweeping down to grab his tattered remains of clothing. She teetered precariously on his shoulder and a myriad of curses flew from her mouth. Laxus ignored her and cast a glance over to the fallen lion and unconscious advisor. He asked the girl with a sigh, "Do you want me to carry you in my arms?"

She sneered, "Like we're getting married? I can walk, Sparky."

 _Fine._ Laxus let her off his shoulder and pulled the jacket back on, disregarding the tattered shirt. _Just add it to the collection_ , he thought with a sigh. He felt the girl's eyes on his bare chest and he grinned at her. "Like what you see?"

She blatantly looked him up and down, sniffed, and tossed some hair over shoulder. "Seen better."

 _Yeah, right._ They began to walk out of the sex dungeon lab, or at least Laxus did. The girl found she could barely put weight on her leg. A couple paces ahead, the Dragon Slayer turned and raised an eyebrow, and she flushed. "I'm fine," She snapped. He put his hands up in mock surrender.

Laxus sniffed the air and glanced down at Ximus as he exited the lab. The girl was taking her precious time. The Dragon Slayer stood by the bright room's entrance and tapped his foot. When she finally limped even with him, he picked her up, and this time she didn't protest. The dark steps seemed much shorter as he backtracked out of the castle. The girl was quiet over his shoulder and didn't seem to drain his energy.

They made it out of the castle without much fuss (Laxus swatted any guard they ran into) and by the time they reached the door to outside, rain was falling softly, and it was still dark out. The guard shifts had not changed yet. Laxus and the girl made it to the street via his lightning body, but when his feet touched the cobblestone, it felt like all the new energy evaporated.

The exhaustion and physical toll hit him all at once, and Laxus stumbled forward, sending the girl toppling off him. His chest and shoulders burned, and his calf protested his weight. Laxus teetered back and forth, trying to find his balance. He felt like he was just hit by a train. His stomach audibly growled. What he wouldn't give for a bed and some food.

The girl scrambled upright and slid underneath Laxus's arm. He leaned against her body, and she let out a huff. "God, you're fat."

He glared down at her and tried to slide his arm away from her. She was in no condition to carry him either. Still, she held on, digging her nails into his wrist. "Whatever." He growled.

The rank smell of blood and sweat and must clung to both of them, and he wiped his nose, trying to clear his senses.

Laxus looked over at the castle. A siren went off somewhere in the castle, and he tensed. He felt the girl tense, too. The grey fur on his jacked pressed into his cheek, and the rain began to beat down on them. The girl twisted her head to look up at him, an unreadable expression on her face.

"Laxus…"

"Hm?" He asked, looking down at her. The girl tucked a strand of hair behind her ear and bit her lip. "…I want to thank you."

He shrugged, it really wasn't a big deal. But they continued to look at each other as natural thunder rolled overhead. There was a look on her face that Laxus had seen before on other women, but he didn't know if he was imagining it. She raised her hand and touched his face softly. Her thumb traced lightly over the bottom half of his scar. His skin tingled at their contact. "Let me thank you," She repeated, suggestion heavy in her voice.

Laxus arched an eyebrow. This was a turn of events- not that he would be one to complain. Food and sleep could wait, but maybe _they_ could go to bed. He began to lean down, tilting his head into her hand. His body twisted so he could reach for her waist. The girl's face was bruised and bloody but her blue eyes were soft. He looked down at her lips. She parted them slightly and leaned into him. Desire and anticipation began to coil in the Dragon Slayer's core; he moistened his lips and gave her a grin as he leaned down to kiss her.

That's when Laxus felt it- a freezing, rigid, staggering blackness wash over him. He lurched downward and gasped, the power draining from every pore in his body. His face drained of color and he felt his magic flow into the hand on his face. His eyes went wide with shock and looked into hers, which had the same expression of desire. Then, in an instant her face twisted into a shit eating grin. "Psych." She snickered.

Laxus's legs gave out as the girl regained strength. She braced herself as the Dragon Slayer collapsed over her.

"You…bitch." He gasped.

"I'm sorry," She said, not sounding the least bit apologetic. "You're absolutely right."

Then, everything went dark.

* * *

 **So in my mind this story is structured in parts. The next chapter is more of an epilogue to 'part 1' and then chapter 7 is where part 2 will pick up at the Grand Magic Games. There will be a lot more Fairy Tail, and a lot more explanation to everything.**


	6. Hell on Waves

Chapter 6

Laxus awoke in hell.

His stomach gained consciousness before him, and the Dragon Slayer rolled out of whatever was his bed and wretched on a grimy hard wood floor. His stomach heaved, and he wondered what he did to deserve such fowl treatment. He never, ever got sick like this. Where was he? The small, wooden room he was in pitched and rolled, like a… like a…

Like a ship.

Oh god. He was on a ship.

Laxus's nails dug into the wood, and he clenched his teeth together. He was going to blast this wood apart and swim back to the nearest land mass. He was in a dark, fowl smelling hull with crates and barrels of assorted sizes. A rat crawled over his outstretched hand. Laxus tried to push himself upright, but the boat rolled again underneath him, and he fell again.

He let out a groan. He was going to die here.

How did he get here? Where was 'here'? Laxus opened his eyes and lifted his head to look around the room slowly. There were a lot of overwhelming sensations happening to Laxus's body as he tried to address his situation: his nose adjusted to the putrid stench of tar-soaked wood, vomit, and a rotting animal corpse somewhere in his vicinity, hunger and crippling nausea clawed at his stomach, and his muscles felt like they had been dipped in molasses and left out in the cold. A bead of sweat rolled down his forehead as the boat pitched rather violently against a wave.

A crate toppled over and its contents rolled out: a sack of sugar spilled across the floor. It appeared to be the hull of a merchant ship. Laxus grunted as he pushed himself up enough to twist around and lean again his bed, which appeared to be two blankets over some crates pushed together. Five-star treatment at its finest. Laxus's jaw twitched when he felt a faint magic energy seep into the air. It felt cool, like little needles of ice pricking his senses. The Dragon Slayer tensed and stared at the bag of spilled sugar.

The shine of silver caught Laxus's eye just before an acidic taste filled his mouth and he puked again. He didn't need to pick up the shiny object to recognize it was obviously meant to be hidden. This wasn't a merchant ship; it belonged to smugglers.

And the thought of thievery caused Laxus to fully process who put him in this death trap.

The sadistic little kleptomaniac was going to die. He would find and kill her as soon as this ship stopped moving. Laxus was certain he never felt so much hatred in his life. Her scent was faint; he could smell traces on the blanket and on the bandages on his chest. Stupid lion. That was the last time he did a job pro-bono.

He leaned his head back against the blankets and took deep, steadying breaths, trying to wash down the feeling of his almost paralyzing nausea.

It was at least another hour in rough waves until the ship reached a calmer section- not that Laxus was able to notice. He spent the time sitting against the makeshift bed, spitting up nothing and imagining all the ways he would slowly exact his revenge on the girl who caused all this. He was still didn't fully understand what happened. Her blood obviously stores magic energy, which Ximus wanted to use for himself, but how did the lacrima fit into all this? And how did she acquire that magic? Why did she take the job in the first place? The advisor referred to her by certain word- a word that was promptly blank in Laxus's mind.

His throat felt raw and he cleared it- what he wouldn't give for a water and something light enough he wouldn't throw up again. There were shouts overhead and the boat seemed to lose speed.

A stream of light opened up from the ceiling, and Laxus shielded his eyes- not used to the brightness. Heavy footsteps slammed down the staircase and the Dragon Slayer fixed his gaze on an older, weathered sailor with a vest. The man's skin was darkly tanned and looked tough like leather from having spent too many days out in the sun, and he smelled of rank, sweaty clothes, salt, and fish. The man's greying hair was pulled back into a low ponytail, and his shirt was stuck to his sweaty body, showing muscle that was turning soft in his age. The sailor guffawed at seeing Laxus and walked down into the hull, shutting the door above. The hull was engulfed in darkness until the man ignited a nearby lacrima, which illuminated the room in an orange light.

"Jus' about to wake you, boy! We're reaching land in twenty minutes." Relief washed through Laxus, and his momentary relaxation caused him to reel over to the side and heave again. The sailor muttered something to himself about sea legs and walked closer, bending under the extremely low ceiling.

"Came t' give you a shirt and show you your things." He pronounced "your" like "yer" and when he smiled, broken and stained teeth filled his mouth. Laxus breathed through his mouth to try and get the stench out. The sailor walked over to a box and hefted the lid open. He dug inside while Laxus straightened against the boxes and wiped his mouth with the back of his hand.

"What'd I do to deserve such _fine_ treatment?" The Dragon Slayer asked, not bothering to keep the bitterness out of his words.

"Cap'n owed the woman a favor. She show'd up two nights ago with you and told us t' sail for Magnolia, 'nd hauled you into the stores." The man pulled out Laxus's dark grey coat and a white shirt, dusting off a few grains of sugar. "She tended t' your wounds and told cap'n to not disturb you 'til we reached Magnolia, then she headed back in town." Laxus nodded shortly and glanced down at his bandages.

 _Wait. Two nights?_ The Dragon Slayer grit his teeth- the girl must have done something to him to make him sleep that long. The old man studied him carefully as he handed Laxus the clothes.

"She's your lass, I assume? Had a bit of a fallin' out, yeah?" The dragon slayer took the clothes and tried to stand up, once again overwhelmed with the feeling that his insides were trying to escape through his mouth. Sweat dripped down the back of his neck as he pushed against a crate and pushed himself upright, to a wobbly stand.

"Something like that," He muttered unevenly, and heaved again. The sailor chuckled, "Woman 're always trouble, boy. She's a fine piece o' work, that lass. Enjoy for what they 're and leave 'em, 's what I always say."

Laxus didn't bother trying to correct the smuggler in his objectification of women. The old man turned and left, once again enveloping the store room in a concentrated beam of sunlight before shutting it away again. The dragon slayer doubled over and clutched his stomach again. Laxus was left alone in the incredibly stuffy hull, with a bundle of clothes in his arms that was covered in the scent of the mysterious girl. He curled his lip as he sat down on the hard crates and pulled the white shirt on. Its cotton was crisp, though the seams were a little tight in the shoulders. The fabric clung to his arms and chest and flowed around his wrists. If he flexed his back, shoulders, or biceps, the thin, straining shirt might burst. Not to mention, he hated white- you could never get the blood stains out. Laxus was certain he looked like he had a pirate fetish with the tied v-neck that went down his chest. He would find this girl and kill her.

Maybe fresh air would do him some good.

He picked up his grey coat, and something dropped onto the floor and rolled toward his feet. Laxus set the coat down and leaned over to pick up the fallen object. It was a small box that easily fit into the size of his palm. He plucked the cap off to see a small piece of parchment and a little crystal. The Dragon Slayer frowned and let out a groan as a large wave rocked the boat. With unsteady fingers, he unrolled the paper.

 _Sparkles-_

 _We're even. Contact me with the lacrima if you need something stolen._

 _-Abi_

 _P.S. use it for any other reason and I will know. And I will kill you._

The name "Abi" shimmered red, emitted a soft glow, then faded into the page. Laxus gripped the paper so tightly it split down the middle. He ripped it again, and again, until it was reduced to shreds. It offered little in the ways of compensation for the anger and frustration he felt. How the hell were they even? And not even a thank you? She would be an eternal blood donor if not for him.

"Why the hell did she call me Sparkles?" He growled and glared at the shredded letter on the floor. How dare she threaten him? He was going to find that kleptomaniac and make her pay.

 _Abi_. He tasted the name.

Laxus peered down at the crystal in the box and realized it had a gold sheen. It was a piece of the Morphos lacrima, crudely cut out from its side. He picked it up and had half a mind to chuck it into the dark corner of the hull and let it be lost. Then, after a passing wave of nausea, he put it back in the box and pocketed the thing. "Fuck you," The Dragon Slayer grumbled as he pulled the coat over his shoulders.

The boat arrived in Magnolia as Laxus stumbled onto the deck. He went over to the side and heaved and watched as the port town slowly grew closer. Upon docking, Laxus was the first one off. He wanted to pulverize that ship. The sailors paid him no mind as they unloaded cargo. Luckily, it was another partly sunny, beautiful day, and Laxus was relieved to be out of Edera. He sniffed the air; sweet smells of flowers, baked bread, and sea salt drifted on the wind. It was good to be home.

Laxus stepped aside so a sailor carrying off the cargo could get past, and he looked out over the town. _Abi_. No love loss going their separate ways. She was nothing but trouble. He hoped he would never see her again.

As the Fairy Tail wizard walked off the dock, his stomach rumbled. God, he was starving. Laxus walked over to the nearest food stand and ordered the first thing he saw on the menu.

The old man serving him food cowered under the wizard's gaze. "That'll be thirty jewels, sir."

Laxus reached into his right pocket and felt nothing inside. Weird. That's where he always kept his money. He reached into the left side pocket and his fingers brushed against his leather pouch where he kept his valuables. Huh, he must have switched pockets when he was in a rush.

The wizard withdrew it from his coat and placed it on the stand's counter. His eyes narrowed: the weight was off, and he didn't hear the familiar jangle of coin. Laxus opened it up, only to find a crumpled-up piece of paper. He withdrew the paper and smoothed it out on the stand's flat surface. It had three simple letters: I. O. U. The 'O' was a crude attempt at a heart.

It took a moment for Laxus to truly process what happened. The old man peered up at Laxus nervously. "Sir… I'm sorry, I only accept jewels. IOU's aren't reliable these days."

The Fairy Tail wizard's expression darkened. She took all his money and gave him an _"I owe you."_ The sun became swallowed by a cloud as a boiling rage washed over the man. Abi- that fucking kleptomaniac- she stole from the guild, from the Imperico family, and now from Laxus. As if his magic power wasn't enough, she also just stole his wallet. He could barely see straight as he picked up the crumpled piece of paper and it was incinerated in a burst of electricity.

Thunder rolled overhead, and the small man yelped with terror. "It-it's okay, sir! P-please, take this meal as- as a way to improve your mood!" A heaping box of delicious smelling food made Laxus temporarily snap out of his angry haze. "Eh? Oh, thanks, old man."

He pushed the pouch inside and stalked away from the food stand, electricity cackling around his body. If he ever met that girl- Abi- again, he would… he would… Laxus snarled at the air and withdrew the tiny chunk of lacrima from his other pocket. To think it all started with this little fucker. Laxus squeezed it in his hands, trying to crush it into dust. The lacrima didn't break, so he opted for walking to the sea wall.

His stomach turned a bit at the sight of the ships bobbing in the harbor, and the dragon slayer gripped the lacrima in his fist, before launching it out to sea. The crystal plunked down in the waves, hundreds of yards off the shoreline. Satisfaction rolled through Laxus at watching the rock go, so he decided to eat his lunch on the side of the seawall.

The Dragon Slayer would die before asking that girl for help, and if he ever saw her again, he would wring her neck.


	7. Part 2: Enter Crocus

**Yes, I am treating you to two chapters! I try to have at least one chapter completed before I upload one so that way I can make sure everything makes sense, its edited moderately well, and plot points make sense. So, if there's any confusion please let me know because I want you all in the dark, but not lost, if that makes sense.**

 **And now we're starting Phase 2 of my story- hurrah! This phase will actually reveal some secrets and get the ball rolling for the final act (loosely planning for the Tartaros Arc). I always find these chapters to be the most fun to write, so I hope you enjoy reading them. Abi and Laxus don't meet up in this one, but it does set the stage for how she will fit in at the Grand Magic Games. I won't be changing many things that happen in the episodes, but rather she will be operating behind the scenes and as a side story.**

 **Also, first chapter from Abi's perspective! Woot woot!**

* * *

Chapter 7

Abi sighed and looked up at the tall city of Crocus. All around her, the city bustled with excitement. The first round of the Grand Magic Games was set to begin tomorrow, and the buzz was all around. Talk of which guilds would make it and which ones would prove to be the most entertaining seemed to be the only thing on everyone's mind. Blah, blah, blah, guild wizards are the coolest, blah, blah.

She ignored the chatter and adjusted the bag on her shoulder.

Of all the cities in Fiore, Crocus was her least favorite. It preserved its old structures and expanded with modern buildings as well; it had an ocean and canals, valleys and mountains; you could find anything you wanted here, and there was an immediate sense of security walking through the streets. The beautiful Mercurious palace towered above the flower filled street buildings and sparkled in the sunlight. And to enforce this beautiful, bright, flowery, sunlight filled, sparkling, everlasting peace were highly trained Royal guards on every. single. street corner.

She grit her teeth and pulled the collar of her jacket up as a group of guards walked past her, chuckling about busting some underground ring of pickpockets. Ugh. This place made her skin crawl. There was enough security that pick pockets could actually be _tracked_ down. Where were the criminals and undesirables of this city? The black markets and black magic?

She passed by a store where a screen lacrima was streaming the lead up to the Grand Magic Games. Apparently, guilds could enter two teams this year, but only eight teams would make it. Her mind drifted to the disaster in Edera a few weeks prior, and she wondered if she would have any run-ins with those Fairies. Then, she let out a laugh. Fairy Tail may not be the weakest guild in Fiore anymore, but there's no way they're top eight. Not with guilds like Sabertooth entering two teams. That meant there would be no Lightning Dragon Slayer to interrupt her plans for the week, thank god. She probably pissed him off when he figured out she stole his money. Abi passed the store window without a second glance, unconcerned with whatever was being advertised by Sorcerer's Weekly.

The blonde girl shouldered her way through the crowds of Crocus, scoffing at the amount of people in the city for the games. That meant the already exorbitant costs of staying in this city was even more expensive. Abi had found an inn near a cheap bar with "reasonable" prices for Crocus. The tiny room was a brightly colored pastel space with barely enough room for a bed and a dresser. It had a large window over the bed, near an adjoining roof, which meant Abi could easily come and go as she pleased. When the girl arrived three days ago, setting up a security ward was her first manor of business.

Since her arrival, she began to learn as much as possible about the city of Crocus. She watched how average people dressed, talked, and walked. She familiarized herself with the streets and managed to swipe a valuable map of the city. Abi would've tried to swipe a few purses to make up her sudden loss of cash, but the guards on every street corner kept her sticky fingers at bay. After spending three days here, she knew her way around.

Abi wanted to fiddle with the new charm ring around her finger, but held herself in check. She acquired the charm from a magic shop at a nearby town. It altered skin color, complexion, and hair. Right now, she appeared to be a white woman in her late twenties with short red hair, pale freckled skin and brown eyes.

Her eyes were narrowed slightly, Abi concentrated on trying to detect magic power. She had scanned most of the city, and had found days ago that something was strange inside the castle walls. She had yet to go into the colosseum, but for the three days she had spent in Crocus, Abi had gone on fourteen tours of the Mercurius Castle. She memorized the tour guides names, knew where the nearest bathrooms were, and memorized the route and shifts of the tours. Every time her complexion was different, and today was the day she would hopefully get some answers.

The castle walls towered overhead and the disguised girl walked through the visitors gates for her fifteenth time. Tours of the palace went for an hour, every hour. She chose the last tour time because the guards will be hungry, tired, and more likely to make mistakes. Abi found the line for the 6 o'clock tour and stood in line with the masses. The thief tugged stuck her hand in her blue jean pockets and scowled. Abi hated denim, but these pants helped her pass as an inconspicuous woman without having to go through the trouble of wearing a skirt. The pants were baggy down to the ankle and looked awful on, but the flared cuff concealed her foot if she kicked someone.

Her little leather bag was scanned, and she was through the security checkpoint. Abi joined a group of thirty tourists. Their shepherd was a peppy young woman known as "Val"; she spoke through a microphone lacrima and delivered every fact with a smile so bright you felt the need to put on sunglasses.

They walked past the sprawling gardens and statues, and towards the gargantuan castle. To say it was gaudy was like saying that old dragon slayer, Natsu Dragneel, was a hothead. It was an accurate description, to be sure, but it was a massive understatement. Mercurius Castle's towers and walls were so high it almost seemed to touch the sky. Its walls expanded as far as the eye could see, and there were so many different levels it felt like an entire city could fit inside. The exterior glittered gold and purple in any light and it was as much a fortress as it was a piece of art.

The group was led into a jaw dropping entry hall, then a hallway with open doors, and so on and so forth. Tourists gawked at the art, decor, and Fiore's history of battles. Abi walked around open mouthed and awestruck, but she had heard everything before. Even after being in this castle so many times, the strange magical pressure seemed to float around, brushing against this and that, with no real center or base.

About thirty minutes into the tour, they had reached the eastern wing of the castle. They reached a small (relatively speaking) courtyard with a stained-glass ceiling and a fountain. There were four hallways connected here, and the group paused by a large, flowering bush and gawked at the large silver statue of some long dead philosopher. This was the part where Val would stop, flip her hair over her shoulder, and gush about how, "Fransisco Martinez designed this space as a common area." Then she would point down the hallway across from the silver statue and state: "That's is where all the serious business happens, folks. Right down that hallway are the offices of the most important men in Fiore, outside of the king of course." A chuckle would pass over the group and people would peer down a long white hallway with many big doors, gilded decor, and paintings worth an exorbitant amount.

The important men (it seemed here women were only qualified for looking pretty or picking up after men) would head home at 6 PM, and the cleaning crew would begin to make their way through the offices. The tour began to shift away toward the hallway at the far end of the courtyard, and Abi knelt down to adjust the lace on her boots.

She glanced over her shoulder to the see a female custodian pushing a cleaning cart into the bathroom down the hallway Abi just came out of. The disguised woman stood up and took shuffling, hurried steps toward the bathroom. The armored guard by the door lowered his spear in her path and said in a deep voice, "Just where do you think you're going, miss?"

Abi's eyes bulged, and she crossed her legs, making her voice strained. "Please, sir… can I use the bathroom?"

The guard's thick eyebrows lowered and nearly obscured his eyes. He frowned and said, "You should've gone at the start of your tour."

Abi wiggled back and forth, a flush rising to her cheeks. "I, uh, ate a burrito from a food cart right before going inside…" She whimpered and gripped her stomach, "Ugh, it's just now hitting me, sir, _please,_ I'm not sure if I can make it through the tour." He looked down at her with startled eyes and growled, "Go ahead, someone will have to escort you to the exit after you finish your… business."

"Thank you!" Abi clapped her hands with joy and hurried to the bathroom.

Inside, she found the maid bent over and scrubbing the toilet, mumbling to herself. Abi glanced down at the cart and grinned. There was a ring of keys and a small map showing where the woman cleaned. This was beyond perfect. Abi padded around until she was behind the dark-haired woman. The maid paused in her scrubbing when she heard the door click shut and straightened.

"Hello?" The woman had a deep, rumbling voice. "Is anyone-," Abi launched forward and grabbed the maid. The thief wrapped her arm around the Maid's neck and folded her other at the back of her head, effectively cutting off the poor woman's air supply. The woman struggled, but Abi hauled her backwards and the sleeper hold began to take its toll. In less than a minute, the maid slumped in her arms, unconscious.

Abi eased her out of the hold and the woman slid down onto the floor. She had maybe 15 minutes before this woman woke up or the guard got suspicious. The maid was larger in the hips than Abi and shorter, but it would have to do. After uttering a quick apology, the thief began to undress the unconscious woman. The maid was older, with pale skin and long black hair pulled back in a braid. A large mole rested on the side of her mouth, and deep wrinkles had set in around her eyes, mouth, and forehead. In a minute or two, the maid was completely stripped down to underwear; then, Abi swung her satchel around and pulled out a rope from the bottom. She hogtied the maid and set her on the toilet seat of the stall. After gagging her with a hand towel, Abi shut the stall door from the inside and shimmied out underneath it.

The thief shed her jeans and stuffed them in her bag. Then she pulled on the maid's uniform. She sniffed at the black blouse and curled her lip. It smelled of sweat and cleaning fluids, but it could've been worse. And at least the black skirt went down to her knee. The worst part would have to be the size-too-small little black shoes. Abi looked in the mirror and pictured the maid as she twisted the charm ring on her finger. Her face shifted from an open, younger face to a middle-aged woman with a mole on the right side of her mouth. Abi quickly pulled her black hair back into a braid and adjusted the white apron. She scowled at her reflection and then nodded. How ferocious. Right, then. Onto the next stage.

Stuffing her satchel in the maid's cart, Abi gripped the handles and assumed her role of maid. She pushed her way into the hallway and made a noise of disgust. The guard had his eyes fixed on the door to the bathroom, and Abi shook her head and scrunched up her nose. She cast a reproachful glare at the door and pushed the cart towards the courtyard.

"I'll be back," She rumbled as she passed the guard, mimicking the woman's voice to the best of her ability. "That _woman_ is disgusting."

The guard frowned, red creeping toward his cheeks and gave a brisk nod. All you needed was different colored hair and the illusion of wrinkles to be a different person. Abi pushed the cart towards the offices; the guards paid her no mind. Her time was limited, and she made her way to the largest door and unlocked it. Its gold plaque read: _Royal Advisor Darton_.

Inside, the office was a long rectangle, with the door on the skinny side, and two bookshelves lining the long wall. On the other end of the room stood a short desk with a high chair, and a balcony with a floor to ceiling glass door. The ceiling itself was gabled and an intricate gold chandelier hung down in the center. Aside from a chair in front of the desk, a red woolen rug laid across the floor. Honestly, Abi expected a little more, since it seemed to be the largest office in the hallway. This was all so… boring.

She shut the office door and locked it. The thief walked slowly around the office, peering at the old books on the shelves and tried to see if anything was valuable enough to sell. Nothing caught her eye on the left-hand bookshelf, so she strode over to the desk. Files and notes were strewn across it. Most of it was indecipherable scribble. Abi flipped open a file and the face of the chief knight Arcadios stared back at her. Interesting… why would the top advisor be actively keeping tabs on his ally? There must be some secret rivalry.

She thumbed through the file, but sadly came across no such drama. In fact, none of the Arcadios's activities seemed uncommon. The only thing that seemed to stick out was some project called Eclipse, but no further information was available. Abi flipped through a couple other files… report about rising dark guilds, analysis of government spending, and castle expenses. Darton seemed to be tracking the exorbitant amount spent on Eclipse, which went back seven years but there was no other information available. It was probably just some big military weapon they'd never use and had to maintain. Plus, if it had been around that long there was little chance it was a secret. Abi sighed: it was worthless knowledge.

Damn. Where was all the shady deals and evil corruption?

Then, a flash of blue paper underneath a pile of files caught Abi's eye. She eased the stacks of paper out of the way and felt a smile grow across her face. It wasn't an incriminating piece of evidence, but it _was_ a blueprint of the entire castle. This was something she could work with. She tugged at the paper and pulled it off the desk, folding the key to the castle halls up. Much to her enjoyment, she found there were two more- one that detailed the basement and dungeons, the other detailed the colosseum. Abi had just finished folding the blueprints when she heard shouts.

Adrenaline gripped her, and her stomach clenched. Shit. She hurried over to the cart and pulled out her satchel, stuffing her prize into the bag. The guard's voices carried toward her, and she pressed her ear against the door, trying to hear where they were. Footsteps began to pound down the hall, accompanied by shouts of: "She went into the offices!"

Doors began to open and slam shut. Abi sprung back from the door and wedged the cart underneath the door handle. Then, grabbing her satchel and slinging it over her shoulder, the thief bounded toward the glass door. Something shiny caught her eye- it was a gold paperweight of a dragon. Abi grinned despite herself and plucked the gold from the desk. It was heavy enough to be solid gold. _Oh, come to mamma._

Then, the door started rattling. Shit. Abi pushed against the glass door, only to realize it was locked. It needed a key, but the key ring was on the cart. She pushed against the glass again, grunting. It wouldn't budge. The rattling got louder as guards began to slam against the locked door.

Abi glanced over her shoulder, muttering a myriad of curses as she slammed against the door again. If she used her magic, they could trace her. Especially if they have the lacrimas. She looked around for something to break the door with. Her eyes landed on the chair. The thief heaved the heavy wooden object up and dragged it over to the glass door. Gripping it on its sides, she swung it against the glass.

It cracked but didn't budge. The wooden door also began to crack under the guard's efforts. She heard more footsteps approaching. "Get back, we have a battering ram!" Someone shouted. _WHAM!_ She and the battering ram hit the doors simultaneously. The doors cracked again. _WHAM!_ Abi grit her teeth and felt her heartbeat accelerate when she glanced back and saw the wooden door begin to splinter. The guards shouted again, and the battering ram once again collided- _WHAM!_

"Fuck it," Abi muttered. Magic pooled through her body and the chair became lighter. She swung again, and the thick glass shattered, just as the guards burst through the door. Abi fled onto the balcony as the Royal enforcement filled the room.

"Halt!" One shouted. She stared over the edge of the balcony and felt her stomach drop. The gardens sprawled beneath her several stories below. The thief glanced over her shoulder, hair whipping back as wind rushed towards her. Guards filled the room, and more were sure to come. There's no way she could fight her way out, not without any weapons or extra magic power to siphon. She grit her teeth and twisted back. This was going to hurt, either way.

Abi launched herself off the balcony, and wind whipped through her hair as she free fell towards Fiore's finest gardens. The city glittered all around her in the setting sun, and for a moment, Abi was serene, struck by the beauty surrounding her. Wow.

Then, she was struck by the hedge.

The thief cried out as she went through the tough bush. It broke her fall and ripped the maid's clothes up as she tumbled onto the stone walkway. Her back and hips took the brunt of the fall, and luckily, she didn't feel any skin break. Still, she would feel this for a couple days. Abi let out a low groan of pain and wheezed. Fuck, this hurt. Her world spun for a few breaths until it came back into focus. Guards were shouting from the balcony, and Abi cursed as she sat up, pulling her hair out of the bush. The charm ring was still around her finger, and the satchel was stuck in the middle of the hedge. She had to act fast, or risk capture in this god forsaken maze. The thief fished the satchel out of the bush and kicked off her shoes. She stuck close to the green wall as she tried to escape the guards' birds eye view.

Abi had no idea where she was or where the exit was. She was trapped in a maze and all they had to do was wait at an exit. She needed a new disguise, ASAP. Abi twisted the ring and watched her hair turn brown. The thief heard guards on the other side of the wall and she began to run, kicking off the stupid tight shoes into a nearby fountain and unbuttoning the blouse. The thief was so busy ripping her shirt off, she failed to see the tiny child as she rounded the corner.

Abi bowled into the girl and they both went sprawling.

The thief scrambled backwards off the girl as a white cat scampered over. "Wendy are you hurt!?"

Abi's jaw dropped. A talking cat? The girl couldn't have been more than 12, with big brown eyes and an endearing round face. Her long blue hair was pulled into pigtails and she wore a white and red dress with frills. Abi's eyes fixed on the blue mark on her shoulder: a fairy. The child let out a squeak and said in a small voice, "I'm fine, Carla, don't worry about me."

Then, her big brown eyes fixed on Abi and she said, "Are you okay? I'm sorry I ran into you." The cat folded her arms, "That foolish woman ran into _you,_ Wendy, don't apologize for something you didn't do!" Carla wheeled on Abi, pointing an accusatory paw at her. "You had no right to barge into Wendy like that; what were you thinking?! And why are you undressing? Have some decency, there are young, impressionable minds here!"

Abi closed her open mouth and flushed. She was being lectured by a talking cat in a dress. How did she handle this situation? She looked down at herself and grimaced. The maid's shirt was still tucked into the side of her skirt, but it was completely off her body. Her torso was exposed and all she was really wearing was a sports bra. She put up a finger and said, "One minute." The thief pulled out her tank top and jeans from the satchel and slipped them on quickly. The girl from Fairy Tail- Wendy- watched with a guarded curiosity and asked when Abi finished putting on her shoes: "Who are you?"

The thief stuffed the uniform back in the satchel and flashed Wendy a kind smile. The cat bristled and the blue haired kid averted her eyes, so it must've come out as deranged. _I need to work on that_ , Abi chided herself.

"I'm sorry, are you alright?" Abi asked instead, and Wendy nodded. The thief stood up and brushed her jeans off. Carla watched her with narrowed eyes, and the sounds of armored footsteps reached their ears. Shit.

Maybe… Abi launched herself forward, grasping Wendy by the shoulders. The girl yelped in surprise, and when the thief's hands touched the kid's shoulders, she felt a buzzing of power beneath her skin. The girl's magic was volatile, it jumped and prickled beneath the surface of the skin. It felt all too familiar to Abi. _A dragon slayer?_ Abi's eyes widened, and she glanced back toward the voices.

"Look, I can't explain anything now, but I need your help. People are after me and I need you to help me."

"What?!" Wendy exclaimed with wide eyes, trying to take a step back. Abi's hands tightened slightly and she glanced down at the Fairy tattoo. Hopefully everyone in the guild were do-gooders. "The guards are after me because I came across dangerous information when I was cleaning Mr. Darton's office. They're calling me a thief, and I'm just trying to get out of here alive. Please," Abi's eyes went big and she felt tears prick at her eyes, " _Please_ help me. I just need to get out of the palace and I'll be okay."

Wendy and Carla exchanged a look, and Abi sucked in a breath. She could hear the guards approaching. Would the kid help her? Her fingers dug into Wendy's shoulders and she felt power begin to seep into her arms, just in case. Abi braced for a fight as she heard guards' voices.

"They say she's here somewhere!" "Keep looking!"

Wendy bit her lip and nodded. "Alright, tell me what I need to do." The thief exhaled and hugged the child. Carla huffed and crossed her arms but didn't say anything. Abi took that as a yes and sighed in relief. The woman adjusted the ring slightly, so her hair turned the same blue as Wendy's.

The cat opened her mouth in surprise and said, "How-," At that moment, two guards came around the corner and stopped. "Ladies, will you please step back for a moment?" They demanded.

Abi twisted up and gave them a startled, shy smile. "Can I help you, gentlemen?"

"We're looking for a middle aged, dark haired woman wearing a maid's uniform. She's stolen from the king and she was last sighted entering this maze. Have you seen anyone that meets this description?"

"No, sir." Wendy answered, glancing at Abi nervously. Then her big brown eyes looked up at the guards, and they seemed to be putty in her hands. "It's just been me and my big sister and Carla."

The thief nodded in agreement and rubbed the Dragon Slayer's head affectionately, before looking at the two guards with concern in her eyes, "Is it safe to keep walking around?"

"Of course. Thanks for your time, ladies. Feel free to carry on with your day," One of the guards answered and nodded to his partner. They continued their patrol, and Wendy exhaled. Carla looked like she wanted to explode, heat rushing to the fur on her face. Who knew cats could blush? She stomped over to Abi and pushed her away from Wendy.

"You do not know who this woman is, child! She could be a vile criminal!" A smile crept up on Abi's face despite herself. _She's not wrong._ Wendy folded her arms and looked away. "I was just trying to help," She mumbled. The thief stood up, pulling her black leather coat from the satchel.

"And thank you for that help, Wendy." The white cat turned and glared at Abi, not bothering to hide her dislike of the blue haired woman. The cat wanted her gone. However the thief couldn't help herself, and she asked, "So, Wendy, are you competing this year in the Grand Magic Games?"

The girl brightened instantly and smiled, "Yeah! Laxus and Gajeel couldn't make it, so me, Lucy, Gray, Erza, and Natsu are competing for Fairy Tail." She hesitated, and continued, her words getting faster with excitement, "You might not know who they are because we were gone for seven years, but we're gonna win this year, I just know it!" Relief blossomed in Abi's chest at the news of Laxus's failure to arrive. She felt a genuine smile grow on her face.

"Knock 'em out, fast and hard, kid. They'll always underestimate girls." Wendy nodded at her words, and Carla glared.

"Get out of here before you get her into some real trouble, Fugitive."

Abi put her hands up and graced them another deranged grin. Then, the thief shouldered her bag and began to walk away. She didn't want that damn cat to report her. As she turned the corner in the maze, she could still hear Wendy argue with Carla:

"But I never got to ask her about the dangerous information! It might have something to do with that weird energy Jell-,"

"That is enough out of you. Forget you ever met that woman! Just enjoy the gardens, child. We can worry about all that later."

Abi's eyes narrowed and she was tempted to turn around. They also felt the strange magic? Interesting. _Nah, Dragon Slayer or not, she's just a kid._ She may be a thief, but she wouldn't bring a kid into her shit. A strange energy passed over her, a different magic pressure. Abi looked up, startled. There was nothing around her but shrubbery, but it felt like something familiar and dark had just moved past her.

Abi furrowed her brow and glanced around one more time. Dusk had fallen and cast an eerie glow around the maze. Magic began to course through her veins and she clenched her fists, bracing for a fight. Then, the feeling disappeared; she scowled. _Whatever it is, it's gone now._

The woman twisted the charm, took on a new face, and slipped away from the palace.


	8. Discovery

Chapter 8

After the preliminary round, Fairy Tail's Team B stood in the mouth of the entrance, obscured by shadows. They waited as the teams behind them were announced. Gajeel grinned out at the sandpit, eyes focused on Fairy Tail's Team A, "Gonna be fun takin' on Natsu again." The Iron Dragon Slayer clicked his teeth, like he was chewing on a piece of metal and chuckled to himself. Laxus rolled his eyes and said, "The old geezer's gonna regret putting us down as Team B."

"I just want to be with my darling Gray," Juvia moaned clasping her hands to her chest as she stared out at the Ice Wizard. Ugh, love. The man dressed as Mystogan didn't say anything, but Laxus didn't have to guess who Jellal was staring at. _Choke me with a spoon if I ever get soft like that._

Mirajane was next to Laxus and smiled, "I just hope both teams do well!" At one point, the blond mage resented Mira's persistent optimism. It just seemed so unauthentic compared to the terror she was as a teenager. His time away from Fairy Tail gave him some perspective, and now the Takeover Mage's attitude had grown on him. Laxus agreed with Gajeel and Mira. He wanted Fairy Tail to be indisputably the best guild in Fiore, but he would be damned if he let Team A win. The thought of their punishment made him smile.

"I thought Wendy was competing." Jellal stated quietly. The four other wizards turned to look at him, then at Team A as the fourth placed team, Lamia Scale, walked into the sand pit arena. But the blue haired wizard was right. Team A was Natsu, Erza, Gray, Lucy, and _Elfman_.

Gajeel shifted his weight and frowned, "Where's that half pint?"

Mirajane's smile slipped a bit but she maintained her positivity, "I'm sure Master just made some last-minute changes. She's probably cheering in the stands."

"Now to introduce our third-place contestant! What a shocker, swooping in from a midnight entry… this dark and gloomy bunch are making their debut in this year's games!"

A scent hit Laxus's nose. One that made his hair stand up. Gajeel tensed as well, a second before the announcer proclaimed, "Give it up for _Raven Tail_!"

"What the hell?" Laxus growled as a dark swirling cloud erupted at the mouth of an entrance opposite of theirs. Dark feathers cascaded downward as five figures emerged from the shadows.

"Well ain't they precious?" Gajeel said in a calm, overly controlled voice. His face had gone slack, but his red eyes sharpened as he stared predatorily at the Raven Tail Guild. Laxus folded his arms and glared at the five members of the dark guild. So these were his father's select few? He would take great pleasure in crushing them. _"You want to get stronger, don't you, Laxus? I can't have a weakling for a son_." His father's voice echoed in his head, bringing back years worth of suppressed anger and resentment. The lacrima in his body seemed to pulse with his emotions, and the Lightning Dragon Slayer took five deep, steadying breaths. He hadn't seen his father in two years before Tenroe Island. Nine years had gone by, even if Laxus wasn't conscious for seven of them. He would be damned if he let his father continue to have a hold on him.

Makerov's screams of fury floated down from the muttering crowd. The words weren't completely coherent, but Laxus let out a short breath of amusement and closed his eyes. _Hope the old geezer doesn't have a heart attack_ , he thought to himself.

"Well… their records appear to be in order." Chapati Lola stated slowly. "They're an old guild. Official sources state they've been active over seven years, but they were only recently approved for Official Guild Status by the Magic Counsel."

"Hmm…" Yajima mused. "If they have Official Guild Status, then they're technically not a dark guild, and are, therefore, eligible to compete." _Even if they didn't, my old man would've found a way._

Light fingertips pressed against his arm. Laxus turned to look down at Mirajane, who's eyes were wide with concern. "Will you be okay?" She asked softly.

The Lightning Dragon Slayer grinned and said, "You kidding? I get to beat up on Raven Tail publicly. There's no better way to say 'fuck you' to my old man."

Gajeel grinned, Jellal narrowed his eyes, Mira nodded, and Juvia's eyes were fixed on the redhead from Raven Tail. "If that hussy thinks that revealing dress will impress my darling Gray, she's got another thing coming," She muttered to herself and crossed her arms. Then a determined look came over Juvia's face. "We'll defeat them," The water mage promised.

"Hold on, we still got two teams who made it through the qualifying rounds!"

Jellal pushed himself off the entrance's wall, Mirajane straightened, and Gajeel grinned, moving to the front and cracking his knuckles.

"Our turn," His voice rumbled with anticipation and Juvia nodded, tossing back a wave of blue hair beneath her hat. Laxus's hand's fell to his side, and lightning pulsed up his arms. If his dad made an entrance, the least he could is show him up.

"Our first-place runner up is- Oh wow! What a surprise! This year's competition just got a whole lot more interesting, folks!"

Electricity cackled at the mouth of the colosseum's entrance. It condensed into a tight ball and exploded outward like a firework, brandishing the mark of Fairy Tail. Laxus smirked as Team B lined the entrance. He could taste crowd's anticipation and disbelief. Thunder rolled, and the electricity snapped away.

"It's Fairy Tail's Team B!"

They stepped forward, and the audience exploded in disbelief. It wasn't quite cheering, but everyone seemed stunned by their appearance. Laxus had been in colosseums before, but this was the largest he had ever seen. The space was massive, the sand pit was at least twice the size of a football field, the stadium must have contained at least 200,000 seats, and every seat seemed to be filled. The noise was indecipherable down in the arena, like a constant loud white noise, but everywhere you looked there was a new face. The sand had grown hot in the sun and its rays beat down on everyone inside. The walls were thick stone and over twenty feet tall around the pit. The gigantic guardian statues of Crocus towered high above it all on the North, South, East, and Western corners of the colosseum. On the arena's edge, halfway down a long curving side stood the officials viewing area, and there were eight front row sections stationed around the arena for guilds to cheer on their comrades, and eight entrances for contestants to enter from. Cameras floated around Fairy Tail Team B and transmitted the images onto the large Lacrima Visions around the crowd.

Laxus felt himself grin under all the stares of disbelief. This was the perfect stage to show that Fairy Tail was number one in Fiore. Perhaps the most entertaining part were the slack jawed expressions of their fellow guild mates in the center of the arena.

"Big Sis?!"

"Gajeel?"

"Juvia?"

" _And_ Laxus!? How is that fair?" Lucy exclaimed. Team B stopped in front of their comrades and let them simmer in their surprise. The lightning mage winked at the celestial wizard and folded his arms. He scanned the crowd for his father. Damn, there were a lot of people here.

"I certainly didn't expect them to have two teams," A wizard from Blue Pegasus grumbled to himself.

A bead of sweat rolled down Natsu's face as he stared at the team in confusion. He pointed at the lineup, his arm trembling. "Hold up, I need some answers!" The Fire Dragon Slayer's finger came to rest pointing at Jellal, "Someone explain to me how Mystogan is even here!"

The masked wizard didn't move, but his eyes flicked toward Erza. Team B tensed, if Natsu blew their cover it would all be over.

"It can't be," Titania mused, staring at him as well. "Jellal, is that you in there?" She asked in a low voice. He raised his finger to his lips and shhhed Team A. Gray and Natsu went rigid, eyes popping out of their sculls with disbelief. "Are you kidding me?!" They simultaneously demanded.

Mira smiled brightly at them and Laxus smirked. No one took notice of the interaction. The other guilds continued their various reactions. However, the smell of his father hit Laxus again and he looked over at Raven Tail. It was like his father was standing in the arena, but it must have been because of the guild. It wouldn't be a surprise if Ivan planted his scent on one of them to throw off his son. But it seemed to emanate from the wizard with the fur lined cloak. _A cloak that looks like mine._ His father was sending him a message, that much was certain. Laxus fixed his eyes on the large, armored Raven Tail wizard and stared at him, his grey eyes promising pain. The gold mask looked back at him blankly.

"Laxus and Gajeel are joining the party," The golden masked man rasped softly enough that both dragon slayers could hear him. The voice sounded like it had been dragged over coals, and it would've made many people's hair stand on end. Gajeel turned and his hands curled into fists. His studded nose wrinkled, and he glanced at Laxus. "You smell that too?"

Laxus nodded grimly.

His eyes flicked over to look at Gramps, who studied the dark guild with the same look of suspicion. Around them, some of the other guilds began to protest about Fairy Tail: "How come they get two teams?" "Are they giving Fairy Tail a handicap 'cause they suck?" "That's way past wild, man!"

"You know, I think the newly implemented rules may have left our audiences a bit perplexed, Mr. Yajima. Care to explain?" Lola asked up in the officials' stand.

The announcers continued to debate the legality of two teams entering the games. Apparently, guilds could enter two teams this year, which is why there were over a hundred entries, yada-yada-yada. The Dragon Slayer tuned it out, he and his team had already heard it all from the geezer.

Laxus and Gajeel continued to stare down the man who smelled like his father until he turned away. Raven Tail gathered around the man, their backs to the dragon slayers. However, a snippet of conversation on in the other direction snagged his attention.

"…You said it was impossible to get near the colosseum." Erza and Jellal were standing close together, too close to be inconspicuous. They appeared to be having a serious discussion.

Laxus narrowed his eyes. If Jellal got caught, they would be immediately disqualified, or worse. He would be damned if that blue haired idiot messed this tournament up for puppy love. He tuned his ears into their conversation.

"It was, until this opportunity presented itself." Jellal countered, and the Requip mage took a step closer. Oh no. Now way in hell-their sexual tension was going to be this guild's undoing.

"It's against the rules, you're not an official member of Fairy Tail."

Laxus stalked over to them, their conversation getting clearer and clearer.

"As I understand it, Mystogan and I are one in the same."

Laxus closed in and put his arm around Jellal's neck. The wizard stiffened at the contact but didn't bother to push him off. Erza narrowed her eyes at them, and Laxus grinned down at her.

"Don't be so uptight, it's a festival." He drawled out playfully, "We're all friends here, right?" The lightning mage tightened his arm around Jellal's neck. "Kiss and makeup." He shoved enough innuendo in his statement to make Erza take a step back. She folded her arms, clearly unhappy at the situation. The two lovebirds made eye contact, and their conversation became silent. Laxus watched them with narrowed eyes and a smug smirk, waiting to see who would speak first.

"It'll be fine, trust me." The masked wizard assured Erza.

Laxus's grin faded. "By the way, Mystogan. You're not usually such a Chatty Cathy." Jellal's dark eyes flicked toward him, and the blond wizard removed his arm. He patted the blue haired wizard on the shoulder hard enough that Jellal flinched. "Keep it in mind."

"Understood." Jellal folded his arms and Laxus winked at Erza. "Play nice, you two."

"And last but certainly not least, is the team that came in first place in the preliminaries!"

"Eh?" Laxus turned and looked up as the crowd began to let out a roar, waving banners and standing up out of their seats to get closer to the arena. Sabertooth must be coming out.

"That's right, you know them, you love them- now get on your feet and cheer for the most powerful guild in all of Fiore- the one and only… Sabertooth!"

Five wizards emerged from the final entrance. They didn't need special effects to get the crowd cheering, it seemed everyone except the participating guilds went absolutely crazy for them. Laxus swept his gaze over the bunch, his mouth curling down with distaste. This was the number one guild in Fiore? Well at least they knew who they had to beat. The Lightning Dragon Slayer personally wasn't worried; he had faced tougher opponents, but there was obviously some reason they were ranked at the top. The five wizards had an edge about them, a cockiness that one only attained by having lots of power.

Laxus glanced back over his team, and then made eye contact with Gramps. There weren't many things they agreed on, but they made eye contact and agreed: unseating those arrogant Sabertooth clowns would be top priority. It was time to let the games begin.

…

Laxus watched as Ren from Blue Pegasus went up against Mermaid Heel's Arana something. The team was quiet. So far the day was really not in Fairy Tail's favor. He was still peeved at Juvia for her lovestruck episode with Gray that cost her a point, but he was more so angry about Raven Tail. His father was making a statement and going after Fairy Tail. The battle between Lucy and Flare played over in his mind, and each time, it made him angrier and angrier. His exterior was calm and bored, but internally he imagined going to Raven Tail and taking out every member, one by one. _How did I ever look up to that man?_ He wondered.

The nullification of Lucy's spell stuck with him. How did his father pull it off? What kind of magic were they using?

Mirajane came up beside him and stared out at the fight as well. She had gone to check on Juvia after "Hidden". Jellal had disappeared to go snoop around during this match, and Gajeel hung back in the shadows, chewing on a piece of metal.

"Elfman took Wendy's place because someone attacked her last night." She spoke quietly, but the grinding of metal stopped, which meant Gajeel was also listening. Laxus digested the news.

"Yeah?"

She nodded, tucking a piece of silver hair behind her ear. "They found her in the palace gardens with Carla. Both were completely drained of energy." Laxus stiffened and immediately the blonde wizard in Edera popped into his mind. Mira took in a deep breath turned to look across the arena. Of the wizards outside the thunder legion, she was probably the closest to whom Laxus would call a friend. They grew up together; he could always tell when she was sad or upset. Right now, Mirajane's face was calm, but he could tell underneath she was seething. The lightning dragon followed her gaze to Raven Tail.

Why wasn't he surprised?

"Does the half-pint know who did it?" Gajeel asked, padding up beside them. Even though the guy's skeleton was made out of iron, the Iron Dragon Slayer's footsteps were light enough that even Laxus's ears strained to hear them. The Takeover mage shook her head, but her eyes remained trained Raven Tail. " _They_ asked about her, however."

It was enough confirmation for Laxus. Mirajane was uncharacteristically upset, but rightfully so. He didn't know Wendy at all, but he knew his father. Laxus stepped away from the arena's entrance and stuck his hands in his pockets.

"I'm gonna get some air," He declared, and walked down the long, shadowy hallway. Laxus strolled through the tunnels around the colosseum's stands. It was nice they restricted access to only participants in areas, but the guards on every corner made it abundantly clear that any inter-guild fighting was strictly prohibited. A couple of young, teenage girls with the Blue Pegasus mark made eyes at Laxus as he walked past and whispered to each other excitedly when they thought he was out of earshot.

He rolled his eyes and continued to walk down the stone hallway. Then, he came to a door where he heard a voice that sent utter terror down his spine. Porlyusica. He hadn't seen her since the Battle of Fairy Tail. Laxus grit his teeth and counted to three.

He wrapped on the door and a scowling, aged woman opened the door. She never seemed to age since the seven years they were gone. Hell, she looked the same as when Laxus was a kid. Pink hair pulled up into a bun, the same red toothed cloak, and signature look of disgust that threw all questions of bedside manner out the door. Her sharp eyes looked over Laxus and she gripped the door a little tighter. "Why are _you_ here?"

Her words were almost a snarl. The inner child in Laxus wanted to hide, so he crossed his arms and glared back at her. _Hello to you to, old hag._ "I want to ask Wendy about her attacker."

"Absolutely not." She shut the door in his face. Laxus ran a hand over his face and sighed. He expected as much. Then, a feeble girl's voice came from the other side of the door.

"It's okay, Grandeena, really. I'm feeling much better."

"I don't see how you could tell _him_ anything more than you told the others. You need your rest, child."

"It would only take a moment, _please._ " There was silence.

Then the door opened up to an unhappy looking med-mage. Porlyusica held up her hand. "Five minutes, boy. I mean it."

Laxus dipped his head and walked inside. Wendy looked up at him with uncertain eyes. She was always small, but right now, in the hospital bed beside her tiny white cat, she seemed to have gotten even smaller. Bags hung under her eyes and she looked incredibly weak, but she seemed to have no physical injuries. That exceed had the same look of pale exhaustion. It was unnerving to see them sick, it looked like they were struggling just to stay awake. The lightning mage sniffed, seeing if he could pick up a scent.

Something faint drifted from Wendy, so he walked closer. She let out a squeak and grabbed the bed sheet. Jesus, did she think he would hurt her?

"Relax, kid. I just want to know what happened." The towering male knelt beside her bed and sniffed again. Wait. He knew that scent. Wendy exchanged a nervous look with Carla and flushed. She didn't meet Laxus's gaze. "Sorry-,"

"Don't apologize if you've done nothing wrong, Wendy!" The cat interrupted. Laxus watched them with narrowed eyes, not really listening to their words. He knew the story. Attack in the gardened by an unknown foe. However, there was a familiar scent on Wendy. He stared at the young girl quietly, and she gulped.

"Uh, right. We were in Mercurius's flower garden and…" She lowered her eyes, clearly whatever happened had scared the young dragon slayer. "This… thing came out of nowhere. It was awful." She turned over and hugged Carla. A glimmer of gold on Wendy's back caught Laxus's eye. What the-?

He quickly plucked it off her clothes. The girl looked back at him with wide eyes, and he held it up. It wasn't gold, but rather a long strand of blond hair. He inhaled the scent and a coil of electricity passed through his body. Porlyusica narrowed her eyes and Wendy looked startled. Carla opened her mouth to say something but thought better of it.

"Is that… hair?" Wendy asked. Laxus nodded slowly, thinking of the words to say. Images of the job in Edera began to flood through his mind. His jaw twitched in a controlled rage. The scent of cinnamon, jasmine, and leather emanated from the strand of blonde hair.

"Did you happen to meet a girl in that garden, Wendy?"

* * *

 **Side note, writing scenes within an episode is a pain and takes quite a long time, so I think this story will mostly flow between the episodes/ scenes, unless its very important to include. But now Laxus knows Abi's in Crocus, and it won't be long until they go head to head. Also, I won't be actively making couples like Erza and Jellal established, but I will try to write them as they are portrayed. I originally had a second part written in this chapter, but it added 7 more pages and since each chapter is getting really long, I may actually end up uploading 2 chapters at a time. Keep the reviews coming, they're wonderful motivation!**


	9. Reunion

Chapter 9:

Abi woke up feeling drowsy. She got back in from the castle in the wee small hours of the morning after stealing the blueprints, and promptly passed out when she got to her room. She awoke to the sound of excited chatter underneath her window, but the room was dark, and colors stretched across the sky. Damn, she must've slept the entire day away. The blonde scratched her hair and sat up, stretching her arms up overhead and rolling her neck. Her stomach rumbled, and she grimaced.

First things first: dinner. Then she could plot just how in the hell she would get into the Grand Magic Games. She had to cover all her bases, unfortunately.

A cool breeze floated through the open window, so Abi pulled on a pair of (ugh) high rise jeans that tapered to her knee and flared out, and a cropped black turtleneck. Then, she gathered her thick blonde hair into a ponytail and slid on her charm ring. The inn keeper knew her as 'Hannah', and Abi used her regular appearance when she checked in. She would have to wait to shift her appearance, but that was fine with her.

The thief grabbed her leather bag, slid on her boots, and strolled out of the little inn. Now to find a place to eat. Abi turned the corner and melted into the crowds of Crocus. Maybe she didn't need to shift her appearance tonight after all. Abi strolled toward the restaurants around the corner and imagined dinner. With her mind full of steaks and fries and chicken, she was so at ease that she didn't notice a man walking in the opposite direction had stopped and stared at her. At least, not until she bumped into him.

"Sorry, I wasn't-," The words died in her throat. Oh shit. Black lips stretched into a smile, and dark, slitted eyes met hers.

"Now this is a surprise," The man said and licked his lips. His voice was acidic, every word sounded like a hiss. Abi took a step back, clenching her fists. Before her stood Black Snake, a vicious son of a bitch who she hoped to never see again. He was built thin and agile, like a long distance runner crossed with a ballerina. You looked at him and knew he was fast, the tight black shirt didn't hide the definition of his muscles, like ropes beneath the fabric. He a pair of loose fitting green and yellow pants that allowed him to kick high and disguised his legs in case he fought someone with a blade. His black hair had grown longer since they last met, over a year ago.

Abi narrowed her eyes and glanced around, surveying her surroundings. There were tons of people in the street, and of course, guards. She couldn't cause a scene without serious consequences.

"If it isn't Angelic Abigail," He hissed with a smile, and his forked tongue darted out into the air. "And here I thought you died in the Garden of Hesperides." Not only did he use the idiotic name a thieving guild gave her, but it came from his mouth. Abi glared at him and imagined poking his slitted pupils out with a spoon. They went on a job to steal a Golden Apple from the Garden of Hesperides. He left her to fight the tree's vicious guardian, Ladon the Serpent. She still bore scars from that job, all thanks to him.

"What are you doing here, Kurohebi?"

"I'm part of Raven Tail now. Didn't you watch the games today, Abi?" He stepped closer, and Abi straightened. She refused to give him the satisfaction of her backing down. Kurohebi used mimic magic, an incredibly rare and difficult form of magic to master. In order to copy magic, it was necessary to see the person's magic and recognize what it is. In the Garden of Hesperides, he saw her ability to gather and focus magic energy in a concentrated beam, but he couldn't mimic it because he couldn't identify what type of actual magic it was. Abi was sure it must've driven him crazy.

She sneered at him, "Well look at you, walking the straight and narrow. Now if you'll excuse me, I have better things to do with my time than talk to you."

The blonde woman turned around and started to head back the way she came, but she heard him take a step forward. As he darted to grab her, Abi twisted and slapped his hand away. She pivoted and grabbed him by the throat, her hand only touching the fabric on his neck. _Don't absorb, don't absorb, don't absorb_. Magic charged her muscles and she turned and walked him against a wall, out of the slow flow of people. He hit the bricks with a hiss; a few bystanders tossed them an odd look but continued with their night.

The Black Snake was completely relaxed and looked down at her with an amused look on his face. Abi grit her teeth. All she wanted to do was give him a taste of her magic, to drain him of all power and crush him with his own magic energy. All the blonde woman needed was to touch his skin and draw in his power. But that could reveal her magic to him, and it could warrant an official investigation from his guild, or worse. She couldn't afford that.

Abi leaned forward and squeezed his throat. "You don't know _how_ badly I want to kill you."

Kurohebi laughed and hissed, his forked tongue flicking out between his teeth. "Mmm… take your best shot, Angel." His eyes widened, the dark irises seeming to shrink as he stared at her. "You know, Abi, you should consider joining a guild. Under Ivan's guidance, my magic's gotten exponentially stronger."

He raised his arm and rolled open hand. A small ball of glowing light floated above his palm. Terror coiled in Abi's gut. Did he know about her? Or did he simply grow strong enough to mimic without having to understand the type of magic?

Abi dropped her grip around his throat like his skin as if he burned her and backed up. Kurohebi rubbed his throat and stared at the ball of magic energy in his hand, transfixed. "Thanks for reminding me about this one, I'll be sure to use it." He tilted his hand, so the palm faced Abi.

The ball of light jetted forward and slammed her in the stomach. It burned a bit, but it wasn't bad. Her body absorbed the magic energy easily. But Abi stumbled backwards and clutched her stomach theatrically, letting out a moan of pain to sell it.

When she looked up, Black Snake had slunk away into the shadows.

She straightened and muttered a curse under her breath. A few people had stopped and stared at her interaction with Kurohebi, but a quick glare from Abi caused them to shuffle forward. _Great. Add Black Snake to my list of problems._ She needed to know how much he knew about her. Her stomach rumbled and reminded her of its hunger. Abi sighed and twisted her ring. Her hair turned black and her skin turned pale. Fuck dinner. After that, she would need a drink. Lots of drinks.

Abi found a little dive bar and tavern not far from her inn. She felt much better after a burger and some alcohol. She was still pissed about Kurohebi, but she figured that problem could wait for tomorrow. So instead, she sat at the bar, contentedly sipping on some whiskey and taking in the ambiance of the dive bar known as Bar Sun.

Abi thought about the files she saw on the advisor's desk. She knew something strange was going on here, she could feel it. What was the royal family up to? A conversation Abi had with Ximus when she originally agreed to work for him flashed through her mind.

" _Why are you interested in the lacrimas?" She asked. Ximus shrugged, "The Royal Advisor, Lord Darton commissioned his Royal houses to gather them. The Morphos Lacrimas are fascinating, you know. They tie to an ancient order of magic users known as the Praesidio."_

"Yeah, no shit," she mumbled to herself and drained her glass. Whiskey burned her throat and gave her a buzz; it was one of the only liquors that actually had a stronger effect on her. It took _a lot_ of alcohol for Abi to get drunk; her blood heightened her body's metabolism and burned through most booze like it was nothing.

Her thoughts wandered languidly from possibility to possibility as to why she felt that strange magic pressure in Crocus. The bar was increasing in noise, and disrupting her train of thought. Abi looked around behind her and realized that there was a lot more people the bar. A blue mark on a man's naked chest made Abi pale.

Fairy Tail.

Fairy Tail occupied most of the bar now, and only a few local patrons remained. Even though no one had any chance of recognizing her, and they were wrapped up in boozing and brawling, she knew it was time to leave. Abi slapped some jewel on the bar and stood up.

She began to head to the door when a tall, dark, distinctive man walked in with a short, blue haired girl. His long black hair fell back in choppy waves, and his red eyes were focused on the girl scolding him about something. The man's pale skin had metal piercings all over, particularly on his face and forearms. His rough voice sent a shiver down Abi's spine because Black Steel Gajeel was _not_ supposed to be in Crocus.

And if the Iron Dragon Slayer was in the Games, that meant…

A powerfully built blond man behind Gajeel paused in the doorway and sniffed the air. Oh no. Abi's eyes met dark, storming grey. This was not good. Not good at all.

The man continued to scan the room, and she exhaled. The thief could kiss her charm ring right now. Maybe it would be enough to get her past him. Abi continued to head for the door, eyes fixed on the dark street. The brute stood in the doorway, and his long, flowing dark coat took up enough space that she would have to squeeze past him to get out. Her heart rate sped up. Three steps away. Two. One. The Adonis didn't move, and he stared down at Abi as she was forced to brush past him. His nostrils flared.

Abi glanced up at him as she stepped onto the street. He had twisted his head to stare at her, gold sparks igniting in his eyes. His thick eyebrows were knit in confusion. The charm was still working, but the lightning wizard almost looked as if he could smell her. Could he? _Time to go._

The thief stuck her hands in her jean pockets and walked quickly down the street.

"You." His didn't raise his voice, it was calm, and controlled. The muscles in his neck and shoulders were tense, drawn tight like a coiled spring.

"Shit." Abi started to run, but it was too late. Laxus flashed in front of her with a burst of electricity, and she collided the very firm wall that was his chest.

"What'chya doing here, Klepto?"

The blonde girl looked up and flashed the guild wizard what she hoped was her most innocent smile. He didn't fall to his knees and apologize, so she must've been losing her touch. Damn it.

"Do I know you?" She asked in a sickeningly sweet voice, eyes flashing nervously to the lightning shaped scar on his face. It moved whenever Laxus narrowed his eyes. His skin sparked, sending painful volts of electricity into Abi's hands on his chest. It singed her palms and she took an abrupt step back, cursing under her breath. Only then did a smirk appear on his lips. "I'm a pretty hard person to forget."

 _Unfortunately_ , she thought to herself and grit her teeth. She took a few more steps back and considered making a run for it again, but Laxus closed the distance and grabbed her by the arms. "I promised myself I'd kill you if I saw you again, but lucky for you, I have some self-restraint." He leaned in close, close enough that she could feel his breath on her face, and her teal eyes looked into his storming ones. "You're going to tell me why you are here. _Right now._ Or I'll let some of that restraint go. _"_

Oh jesus. She really did it this time. Few men intimidated Abi. None quite as much as Laxus Dreyer in this moment. What did she do when she felt intimidated? Abi sneered at him and curled her lip. "You really wanna be this close to me, Fabio?"

She could feel his magic beneath his skin- volatile and powerful, ready to burst at any moment. It sparked just touching him. The tan woman lowered her eyebrows and allowed her magic to pull his in and submerged it into her blood. Her heart rate accelerated, muscles tensed with adrenaline, and the world became sharper. She could feel his pulse against her skin now and picked up his scent of faded aftershave and hotel soap and him. Absorbing magic always heightened her senses, made her more sensitive to pain, but it made her physically stronger. Abi twisted her forearms, so she gripped Laxus on the back of the arms, and squeezed. Hard.

Suddenly, the energy sinking through her skin spiked, and Abi's mouth turned downward in distaste. He was seeing if he could overwhelm her power reserves. She dug her nails into his bare arms. Laxus pulled her closer, sending more electric energy into her. Had her teeth not been clenching in concentration, they would've been chattering from electric shock.

The lightning mage bared his fangs in a feral grin, "Think you can keep up, blondie?"

 _Little fucker._ "The question is-,"

" _Laxus Bodyguard Core Assemble!_ "

They looked over to see three people approaching. A tall man in stripped armor, with a metal visor that obscuring his eyes, it looked like the eye guard of a knight's helmet. A shit eating grin was spread across his face as he pursued a red faced, green haired mage brandishing a finely crafted saber. Not far behind was a beautiful, bespectacled brown-haired woman in a tight green dress that left little to the imagination. She shuffled forward in heels, but seemed equally determined to come to the aid of their ringleader. They each bore a Fairy Tale emblem. Abi's jaw dropped. "'Laxus Bodyguard Core' _?"_

Laxus scowled. "I didn't choose the name."

"Well it's clear someone thinks highly of themselves." He growled under his breath and focused his power on Abi again. Their little standoff resumed.

"Freed, you moron- they're just cuddlin' up! Give the guy some space!" The purple mage shouted as they neared. The three wizards stopped a few feet away from him in a triangle formation, ready to fight nonetheless. The masked mage made a noise of disgust. "A weird way to come onto a girl. Laxus, you alright buddy?"

"Fine!" She and Laxus bellowed at the same time and broke away from each other, looked away, then glared back at each other. The green haired mage known as Freed brandished his saber and studied Abi suspiciously. He was what some might call a beautiful man. His face had a sculpted face, with high cheekbones and a defined, almost delicate jawline, but somehow put all together retained a masculine beauty. His dark green eyes had long lashes, a beauty mark rested below his left eye, and dark green hair cascaded down his back. His eyes regarded Abi coldly, and she found herself returning the look.

The blade dipped to point at her ring, and Abi folded her arms, trying to conceal her hands.

"Laxus, that woman wears a charm disguising her appearance. She is not who you think she is."

Great. Now the spell wouldn't work for _any_ of these goons. The other man and woman gasped in surprise as the charm broke for them. Laxus gave the three a bone chilling smile and shook his head, "No, I know _exactly_ who she is."

Abi froze at his statement. Did he know-?

"She's a lowlife I met on a job a month back." His friends didn't look put at east at Laxus's explanation, but Abi exhaled in relief. Then her eyebrow's lowered. "Who you calling 'lowlife', asshole?"

Abi pivoted and punched him. It was a solid punch, straight for the solar plexus. It hurt like hell- like hitting a steel wall. He didn't move, but she heard him exhale lightly. "Asshole." She repeated and shook her hand. So, this is what Laxus was like at full power. Abi much preferred the half-drained model. The blond man looked down at her with irritation and then turned back to talk to his… bodyguards? Friends? Groupies? Whatever they were to him, they were a distraction. "Obviously I can handle her by myself."

The man dressed like a knight put his hand on Freed's shoulder. The green haired man lowered his saber, but he didn't look happy about it. They asked Laxus about wrapping it up and he responded with a shrug. A small conversation ensued.

That was good enough for Abi. She turned to leave. When she took a step, his hand snapped onto her wrist.

"Stick around, Klepto," He said and tossed a smile to his friends, before turning to look down at the tense woman. She gritted her teeth and let her magic bite into his. Laxus's electricity bit right back, and he said with a murderous gleam in his eye, "I'm gonna grab a drink with Abi. We've got so much catching up to do."

* * *

 **Dun dun duhnnnnnn.**


	10. Drinking Games

Chapter 10:

"You payin'?" The balding bartender asked, eyeing Laxus. He shook his head and jerked his thumb to the blonde girl beside him. "Nah, she is." _If she stole my wallet, she can afford to pay for me._

Abi pinched the bridge of her nose and nodded slowly, like she was experiencing a massive headache. "Yeah. Yeah, I am."

Bartender shrugged and put whatever name Abi used on the tab. Then he brought out a glass and a tankard, filling hers with whiskey and Laxus's with beer. Abi sat down and drained hers immediately. Gajeel sent him a curious look down the bar, and Laxus stared at him until the dark-haired man looked away.

Abi coughed a bit when she set her glass down. Laxus's throat burned a little watching it, _if she wants to be drunk_ , _be my guest_ , Laxus thought to himself and folded his arms. He was still leaning against the bar, towering over her. She ignored his looming presence and signaled the balding bartender to come fill up her glass.

"What the hell are you doing here?" Laxus rumbled, feeling a dangerously calm anger settle over his body. Wendy flashed before his eyes and he resisted the urge to cause a scene. Due to the games, actually attacking her was out of the question if she was tied to Raven Tail.

"Don't worry about it," She turned her head to look up at him and gave him a charming smile. Laxus clenched his jaw and pulled out a seat. He settled next to her and the bartender filled her drink. Before she could take a sip, Laxus clamped his hand over the rim of the glass.

"Choose your next answers _very_ carefully, Abi. Or I will hurt you."

A tense expression rippled across her face and was gone in an instant. She looked up at Laxus and smiled, twirling a small braid with her finger. "Oh Laxus, you'll get a girl all hot and bothered when you take control like that." She laughed a little forcefully and scanned the room for an escape route. Unfortunately for her, the entire bar was now filled with Fairy Tail members.

The Dragon Slayer leaned forward, invading her personal space and forcing her to look at him. "One of my guild mates was attacked. Little girl- blue hair, big eyes, had a white cat. You wouldn't know anything about that, would you?"

Her eyes widened, and she looked startled. "N-no. Why do you ask?"

Electricity sparked on Laxus's arm as he reached forward and plucked Abi's braid up from her shoulder. "Here's how it's gonna go. You're going to tell me what the fuck's going on and not give me some bullshit answer. Are you working with my father? Why did you attack Wendy?"

Her eyebrows shot up in confusion. "Father?" Then, she slapped his hand away from her hair and glared at him. "You honestly think I'd attack a child?"

Laxus shrugged, trying to maintain appear nonchalant despite the anger boiling inside. "I really don't know what you'd stoop to." He fixed his eyes on her and felt them burn with electricity. It made his grey irises turn gold. "But Wendy was found drained of all her power and I found your scent on her. You wanna run that answer by me again?"

Abi's brows furrowed, and her mind looked like it was going a mile a minute. She pursed her lips. "Wendy… that young dragon slayer, right? I met her when I was escaping the palace guards." Her blue eyes hardened. "But I didn't drain her of energy. The cat would've made too much noise about it if I did."

Laxus frowned, and felt the anger simmer a bit. "Then how do you explain her attack? It's your magic." She threw her hands up. "I don't know, Laxus. Contrary to popular belief, I'm not some all-knowing goddess."

He sneered down at her and gnashed his teeth together. God, he just wanted to shake her until she told him the truth. "Why are you here, Abi? Are you working with my father?"

"Who the fuck is your father?!" She snapped, and a couple people glanced over at her outburst. Laxus lowered his brows and felt his lips curl up into a snarl. Abi gripped the glass of whiskey, and a scene flashed before his eyes. Abi smashing the glass into the side of his head, Laxus grabbing her by the throat, Grandpa restraining Laxus and giving him a 'I expect more from you' speech.

The imaginary scene wasn't soothing, but it was sobering. The Dragon Slayer slipped into a calm expression and let out an exhale between clenched teeth. "What were you doing in the palace anyway?"

Abi was still tense; her shoulders tense and core tightened like she was bracing for a hit. Laxus folded his arms and gave her his hard stare. She shifted in her seat uncomfortably but didn't break eye contact. "Well?"

"That's my buisness."

His jaw twitched, and he said the next sentence slowly, so she could process his words. "You owe me for getting you out of Edera. Now tell me why you're here."

Abi snorted in disdain and swiped her drink back. " _I_ got _you_ out of that place. We're even, as far as I'm concerned."

Laxus scowled and his stomach turned as he thought of that blasted ship. He leaned toward her, his lip curling up to reveal his canines. "I rescued you from that psycho. _You_ drained me of my energy, hauled me onto a fucking _ship_ , and stole my money. Remind me why shouldn't I turn you into the police?"

"We're even." She repeated, then glanced around again. Laxus raised an eyebrow and scowled. Abi's voice lowered to a hushed whisper. "Do you understand how hard it is to get the Dutchman to change his shipping course? I cashed in a very expensive favor for you, Laxus."

"Who the hell is the Dutchman?"

Abi spoke after taking sip of whiskey, "He's the best smuggler in the Fiore, and he owed me for saving his ass a while back. It's a _big deal_." The Dragon Slayer said nothing and remained unimpressed. His stomach turned as the horror of that ship flashed before his mind. She growled under her breath and looked up at Laxus. "This is the part where you drop to your knees and praise my benevolent act."

Laxus leaned forward, his mouth curling downward in distaste. His knuckles turned white as he clenched his fists in anger. "I'd rather fight the entire army of Fiore then go on one of those fucking ships again."

The blonde woman frowned and arched an eyebrow, "What, you got crippling motion sickness or something, Sparkles?"

Laxus was silent and glared at her. Her blue eyes went wide in realization and she slapped her hand over her mouth. She gasped. "Oh my god, you do." She rolled her head back and laughed. The Dragon Slayer glanced around to see if anyone overheard her, and luckily, his guild mates were wrapped up in watching Erza smack down Natsu and Gray for something about a pie. Abi's raucous laughter continued, and Laxus grit his teeth. She needed to shut up before someone noticed.

"Laugh it up," He growled. Slowly, after huffing and puffing, Abi composed herself. She wiped away a tear and wheezed one more time. "Oh, that's rich."

Laxus stared at her with a deadpan expression and muttered, "You tell anyone, and I'll kill you."

The tanned woman straightened and gave him a serious nod. "I won't tell anyone about your-," Her face broke into a smile, and her voice shook to contain it's laughter, "-your deathly weakness." She took a swig of whiskey to smother another laugh. Abi cleared her throat and sighed. The smell of alcohol on her breath was becoming more and more potent on her breath, and she gave him a smile.

" _Fine_ ," She extended the word out slowly and begrudgingly. "I guess I do owe you after putting you on a ship." Her lips twitched upward in amusement. Abi ran a hand through her blonde mane of a ponytail and then tossed it over her shoulder.

"What do you wanna know?" Her body language was becoming more relaxed, and Laxus bet that the drinks she had before were starting to catch up with her.

"Why are you here? What's your angle with Raven Tail?"

The thief's eyebrows shot up. "I don't fuck with guilds anymore, Laxus. I'm here because…" She hesitated and pursed her lips. "Because there's weird… stuff going on at the games."

 _Well that's helpful_ , the Dragon Slayer frowned and folded his arms. "Care to elaborate?"

She pursed her lips and considered her next words carefully. "I feel this, um… strange magic during the games." Laxus's brow furrowed. That's similar to what Jellal said, but apparently the magic was tied to Zeref. How would she know about that? He played dumb. "Wouldn't an arena full of powerful wizards cause that?"

Abi shook her head. "It's old, weird magic. And it's somewhere in the palace or the arena… Or maybe underground, in the tunnels connecting them."

Laxus's eyebrows shot up and he leaned forward. "How do you know that?"

She gave him a cryptic smile and didn't respond. Then, Abi stretched her arms upwards, yawned, and leaned back over her chair. Her chest popped out and Laxus knew what she was doing, but he found himself checking her out anyway. An effective distraction technique.

The blonde woman straightened and gave him a flirtatious smile. She put her elbow on the table and rested her head in her hand. "I'd tell you… but that's all you're getting. I'm not _nearly_ drunk enough to tip my hand."

"Are you implying I should get you drunk for information?"

Abi's eyes widened coyly, "Me? I would never." A smile grew across her face, "Not unless there was the chance I could get something out of it instead."

Ah-hah. So that's how she wanted to play? Laxus's eyes sharpened at the challenge- Abi assumed she could drink him under the table. The blond man shrugged, his muscles rippled with the movement. "You're suggesting a wager…" He took of his jacket and set it down on the chair beside him. Abi's eyes traced over his body slowly, then flicked up to his face; she arched an eyebrow. _Appreciate the view?_ Laxus smirked. "…Do we establish what we want now?"

She shrugged and traced a finger over the rim of her empty glass. "You want information, obviously." Her teal eyes flicked up to his with a dangerous edge, "I want your assurance you'll stay out of my way, no matter what happens in Crocus."

Laxus signaled the bartender and asked for two shots. Abi asked for vodka. Whatever. Her funeral for mixing alcohol. The bartender set up the glasses and filled them with clear liquid. The thief picked the shot glass and raised her eyebrows at Laxus.

"Does this mean we're in agreement?" She asked. The Dragon Slayer threw the shot back as his answer. Abi followed the suit.

...

Surprisingly, it only took twos more shots before Abi was utterly wasted. Laxus felt a little bit bad about encouraging her drunken state, but she kept insisting she was fine and waving the bartender over to fill the glasses. When the liquor finally hit her, it hit her hard. Abi's teal eyes were clear one moment, and the next, they were glazed over and she was swaying to stay upright. Laxus leaned over and gripped her shoulder. "You okay there, lightweight?"

"Lightweight?" She slurred and looked at Laxus unsteadily. "You're the lightweight. I'm perfectly-," She plunged forward and would have crashed into the bar, had he not braced her with his arms. Abi's head lolled downward and groaned, "I don't feel so good."

The bartender materialized beside them. The bald old man scowled at the Dragon Slayer. "She's cut off, bub."

"Obviously." Laxus snarled. "Can we get her some water?" He sent a little electric shock through her arms to see if that would sober her up, and Abi cleared her throat. She couldn't give him valuable information if she was shit faced. She straightened up enough to lean against the bar.

The bartender's thick arms folded over his wide torso and the thick mustache that covered his lip curled downward in distaste. _I'll take that as a no_. _Probably just wanted her out, so he doesn't have to deal with it._

"If she boots, your guild's paying the fee." The bartender nodded at the warning sign posted up behind the rack of booze. 1000 jewels. Alrighty then. Laxus nodded shortly. The Dragon Slayer felt a prick of irritation- asshole wouldn't even give her some water to sober up. It wasn't Laxus's fault she had so much to drink. Maybe it was, but still. He stood up and pulled his coat over his shoulders.

Abi moaned into her hands, "Why do I feel sick?"

"Whiskey will do that to you," Laxus told her as he pulled her off the stool. _Let's go before you blow chunks all over this place._ Gramps wouldn't appreciate having to come up with the extra cash, and Laxus didn't want to give the old man another excuse to fault him.

Abi shook her head and swayed on her feet, "No, I'm sober. I never get drunk." He rolled his eyes and grabbed her arm before she could fall and escorted her away from the bar. Abi's brow was furrowed in intense concentration as she blinked repeatedly. She stumbled slightly as she tried to follow him. "I never get drunk," She repeated.

Laxus nodded. "Uh-huh," he scanned the area for Makarov. Everyone hit the booze hard tonight. The dive was littered with wizards close to, or already passing out. And it wasn't even midnight yet. His grandfather was teetering on a table and leaning on a wine barrel the size of himself, clearly in a drunken stupor. Underneath him lay the Thunder Legion passed out. Even Freed fell victim to alcohol. The sight of his friends brought a small smile to Laxus's face and he called over to his grandfather. "Hey, Geezer! I'm gonna make sure this girl gets home safe."

Makarov uttered some type of response from his tankard which Laxus took to be an "okay."

Mirajane poked her head up from the other side of the barrel and smiled drunkenly at him. "Have fun, you two!" She waved at them. Hopefully the white-haired woman wouldn't remember them, or he'd have to answer all sorts of questions tomorrow. He didn't want to deal with it. Abi waved back and nearly tripped over a fallen guild member. Laxus rolled his eyes and made a beeline for the door.

Once out on the street, the brisk night air greeted them. The sidewalk was narrow and dropped off to a canal outside the Bar Sun. Jellal's scent floated around- he was moping around here somewhere. Abi leaned against the door and exhaled. "I don't know why I'm like this," She clutched her stomach and looked at Laxus with glazed eyes. "It's like my brain is cloudy!"

 _Mavis, it's like she's never been drunk before._ He folded his arms and frowned at the drunk. "Please, tell me you know where you live."

Her brows furrowed, and she nodded slowly. You could almost see the gears grinding in her head. Suddenly, Abi began walking in a very crooked line down the street, and Laxus walked beside her, trying to steer her away from the canal. While she may have needed a cold shower, he didn't want to have to fish her out of that river. Abi was prattled about her magic acting as a sobering agent as she walked. If her body really did have heightened senses when she absorbed magic energy, wouldn't that mean she got drunk _faster_? Laxus didn't bother pointing it out to her.

They walked for four or five blocks, turning this way and that. The blonde ponytail swished in time with her hips as she walked, and Laxus found himself noticing just how nicely the jeans fitted her swaying figure. The denim stopped just above where her waistline tapered. The jeans and shirt showed off a section of her tanned muscular back, before it was covered again by a tight-fitting cropped turtleneck. The hard-corded muscles moved and flexed with every moment; the dark discoloring of a bruise peaked out beneath the shirt's hem.

Abi slipped her arm underneath his jacket and looped it through around Laxus's arm. He stiffened at the contact and looked down at her with a miffed expression.

"Can I help you?"

The blonde woman pulled on his arm, almost hanging off him. He stopped, and she stopped as well, stumbling into his body. A silence lapsed between them. Abi looked up at him, her lower lip trembled, and Laxus wondered if she was actually going to tell him something important. "Laxus, I- I haven't been completely honest with you. I-," Then, her head lolled forward and crashed against his chest.

"I _did_ actually drin-k. I was drunk for a litttttle bit but I'm better now. This is so embarrassing, I'm sorry." She mumbled, hands still gripping his one arm, face pressed into his shirt. She mumbled something about how he smelled, and the blond man ignored her as he put his hands on her shoulders and pried her from his body. "You're wasted and alone in a big city. Don't read into it, Klepto."

He looked around and saw the sign for an inn at the end of the street. The Dragon Slayer pointed towards the building and said, "That you?" Abi turned and squinted, swaying from foot to foot.

"I really can't read it this far away."

Wow, she was trashed. Laxus sighed and led her by the arm to the inn's door. It was a small, tudor style store front with big windows overlooking the street. They stopped just before the stone doorstep. He sniffed the air and caught a whiff of Abi's stale scent and nodded. This was her place.

"Think you can get up there by yourself?" Laxus asked her, and Abi's expression turned sour. She folded her arms. "Why wouldn't I? I walked all the way here, didn't I?" The Dragon Slayer shrugged, _screw this, she's home._ He turned to leave, and Abi huffed self-righteously.

He made maybe ten steps when he heard her crash against the door.

"Ow!"

Laxus turned to see Abi on the ground clutching her knee and cursing. "Fucking hell," He muttered to himself and stalked back over to the drunken woman. The smell of blood hit him, and Laxus bristled as he looked down at the blonde. Even though Abi _had_ walked most of the way here, it seemed she had never anticipated the challenge of a stone step.

"This is so embarrassing," Abi muttered as Laxus helped her upright. The denim covering her right knee ripped and the skin underneath was shredded. She must've skinned her knee on the step. The jean was already becoming stained with red. The blonde girl looked down at the dark splatters on the stone and cursed, "I gotta burn the blood!"

Laxus remembered how much of a power up he received with just a little bit of her blood. However, he doubted anyone would be ingesting someone's blood off of the street. He gripped her arms and restrained her from dropping to the ground. Laxus tried to keep his voice even and reasonable, "You don't have anything to burn it with, and you're just gonna make a bigger mess, Abi."

Her eyes went wide, and her voice was panicked, "They're gonna find me if I don't cover it up, don't you get it?" The girl's hands tightened around Laxus's biceps until it was almost painful. He frowned, "Who? Who is going to find you?"

She shook her head and looked down at the blood, "I- I need to clean it up. They can't know I'm alive."

The Dragon Slayer knit his eyebrows together and started to ask her to explain, but Abi's body seized up, and she retched downward. Laxus barely had time to move backwards as she threw up, and his nostrils flared at the disgusting smell. Thankfully, none of it landed on him, but the puke splattered the step and covered up any evidence of her blood being there.

The thief let out a low groan and wiped her mouth. "Ugh, I guess that takes care of it."

Laxus took a deep breath through his mouth and stepped over the throw up. He opened the door and pulled Abi inside. This night needed to end, now. Following the pattern of her stale scent, Laxus wordlessly pulled the drunk girl up the stairs and came to a wooden door.

"You got a key?" He asked her, and Abi nodded, withdrawing a key from her back pocket. She fiddled with the lock until Laxus took it out of her hand and opened it for her. They pushed inside to a tiny, tiny room with an open window. There was barely enough space to walk around the bed.

Abi pressed past him in the doorway and stumbled into the room. Laxus rolled his eyes and turned to leave. "Get some water and clean yourself up."

"Screw you." She grumbled and stumbled into something else.

Good to know some things would never change. The Dragon Slayer hung his head and sighed. Abi cursed as she bumped into something else. He needed to be appointed as a Saint after this night.

Laxus turned away from the door and walked over to sit Abi down on the edge of the bed. Her eyes watched him suspiciously as he crouched down and rolled the cuff up as far as it would go, but unfortunately, he couldn't actually see the cut.

"You're gonna need to take your pants off," Laxus told her. Abi shrugged and stood up. Before he could back away, her hands went to her waistband and began pushing her jeans down. The Dragon Slayer's eyes widened, and he lurched backwards into the wall. He looked up at Abi as she undressed and swallowed.

"You got a med kit?" He asked as she slowly pulled the fabric over her bloodied knee. She nodded and pointed to the bathroom. Laxus quickly got up and searched the small bathroom for the med kit. A soft thump came from the bedroom and he hoped nothing too bad happened. He found a small one underneath the sink and brought it back to his very intoxicated patient.

Abi was on the floor, jeans stuck around her ankles. She kicked at the clothing in frustration and a myriad of curses began to fly from her mouth.

"You alright?" Laxus asked her as he looked down at her on the ground.

"No!" She responded crossly and kicked at the jeans again. A deep bruise on her thigh caught his eye. Wonder how she got that? _Whatever,_ he thought a second later. Laxus reached down and hoisted her back up on the bed. A moment later, the Dragon Slayer found himself crouched on the floor at her feet, pulling her tight pants off. He tried to keep his eyes focused on the task at hand. Still, Laxus's gaze strayed upward. He kept looking at the bruise. It didn't look right- the lines were too precise, it must've been an old tattoo.

One leg popped out of the jeans, then the other, and the dark blue mark passed into his view again. Laxus's eyes widened as he realized it was the emblem of a wizard guild. He had seen it before, years ago: a blue bird on fire. "You're in Guild?" The question slipped out of his mouth before he realized it.

Abi slapped her hand on top of her thigh and scowled at him. "When I was a kid." Her tone made it obvious she wouldn't elaborate, even intoxicated. Laxus narrowed his eyes and set the ripped pants aside.

"I don't wanna talk about it, so don't ask me any questions!" She added, her voice sounding more and more childlike. He didn't bother to remind her he _hadn't_ asked more questions. Laxus rolled his eyes and focused on the self-inflicted damage on her knee. His mouth curved into a sneer. "How'd you even manage a cut this bad? I thought you were Miss Ass-Kicker."

She rubbed her hands together and looked away, cheeks turning red. "Sorry," She mumbled, and paused for a second. "I- I- I'm just a normal human, you know."

Her words slurred together a bit, and Laxus let out a snort of disbelief at her statement. Magic blood and regular human didn't correlate. He held the back of her knee and examined the cut. It wasn't deep, but it was bleeding a lot. A bit of blood ran over his thumb, and it prickled his skin, like it was synthesized with icy-hot. It still didn't quite make sense how blood itself could be magic. A part of him remembered how powerful he felt when he last tasted it, but the Dragon Slayer wiped his hand on his pants before he could make any egregious decisions.

"Yeah, okay," He told the drunk. Laxus reached over to open the med skit, and she looked at him with sad, glazed eyes. Her mouth began to move like she wanted to form words, then she shook her head, seeming to scold herself.

She flopped backwards onto the bed bed, her calves dangling off the edge. As he began to clean up her wound, Abi began to drunkly drift from topic to topic, her sentences only semi-coherent. Laxus sighed and pressed the disinfectant soaked gauze into her knee.

It must've stung because when the gauze made contact, Abi's other leg violently kicked upward. Her foot connected with Laxus's jaw and he grunted in pain. "Ow! That hurt!" She scolded him. _You're one to talk._

"Hold still!" Laxus ordered, wrestling her foot down. She pouted and sat up. "That hurts."

The Dragon Slayer grit his teeth and returned to disinfecting the cut with a determined glare. _Why me?_

"Get over it. We can't exactly have you bleeding everywhere. People are always looking for a power boost at places like this."

She sighed and rolled her head around and around. "Everyone's always after us." Laxus cocked his head to the side as he finished up disinfecting the cut.

"Us?" He probed. Laxus stopped what he was doing and looked up at the blonde woman. Abi nodded her head, fiddling with her ponytail wrap. Blonde hair fell in across her face. Her eyes clenched shut and she frowned. "Us," She echoed impatiently. "The prae- praed- preasidi-do." Abi paused, and screwed her mouth shut. "The _pry-sid-ee-o._ " She pronounced each part of the word with extreme concentration. _Praesidio? That's what Ximus called her._ He had forgotten the word.

Then her eyes popped open and she looked down at Laxus with alarm. "I shouldn't have told you that!"

Laxus knit his eyebrows together and wasn't sure how to respond. He didn't need to because she buried her face in her hands."Ugh, I never do this. It's so embarrassing." Her face turned a darker shade of red. "I'm never like this… I'm, like, _always_ sober. I _am_ sober, I swear."

Laxus rolled his eyes and picked out a bandage from the box. "Uh-huh. Never do what, Lightweight?"

She lifted her head from her hands and pouted. "I'm _always_ sober. And I never talk about-" Abi vigorously waved her hand in the air, "-about stuff I shouldn't!" The hand came down on Laxus's head and he jumped at the sudden contact. He looked up at her beneath lowered brows. The thief began to rub his hair back and forth, like he was some dog. _Drunk or not, you have five seconds before I break your hand_ , Laxus growled to himself.

"But I talk to you even though I really don't like you. You mess everything up. Maybe it's because I had a _littttle_ bit to drink. I still don't understand how I'm tipsy." Laxus's scowl deepened. _That's gratitude for you._ He should have left her at the bar. He slapped the bandaid on her knee and stood up.

"Play time's over, Abi. Go to bed."

She looked up at him with angry eyes, and then giggled. The sound was unnatural coming from her mouth. Then, she puffed up and her voice dropped to an exaggerated baritone, "Hi, I'm Laxus; I'm super serious and manly and have big manly arm muscles. I like to dress in black, so the world knows I'm a badass and I like to order women around in my spare time."

The Dragon Slayer took a deep inhale, and a slow exhale. He turned to walk out the door.

"Make me a sandwich, wench, or suck my lightning dick!"

"Exactly _when_ I've ever talked like that?!" Laxus snapped, sparks flying off his hair as he wheeled around in the doorway. She froze, looking at him with wide eyes. Then she flopped over and laughed.

 _Control._ He exhaled again between clenched teeth. He slammed the door shut as he left.

* * *

 **So this was a fun little scene to write, and I was surprised Fairy Tail didn't do more with Ivan and Raven Tail because it seemed like it was T-ing up to be really fun villains. Also, they never really explored Laxus and Ivan's relationship, or how Makarov so desperately failed as a father and how Ivan turned out the way he did. Just food for thought, and I think I'm going to tease out Raven Tail and Fairy Tail's rivalry a bit more. I'm headed off to school so updates may take longer.**


	11. The Problem With Hangovers

Chapter 11:

Abi awoke to a dry throat and a spinning world. She gasped as she opened and closed her mouth, her parched tongue feeling like sandpaper in her mouth. Her stomach was _not_ happy with her, nor was her head. Brilliant morning light illuminated her room, and she had never experienced so much misery in her life. Her head pounded like she just received a punch from a vulcan, and- oh god, she was going to be sick. Nausea washed over her and she blindly rolled out of bed and crawled into the bathroom. The next thing she was aware of was the feeling of the toilet's cool plastic white seat and emptying her stomach into the bowl.

After a couple of waves of gagging and spewing fowl content out of her stomach, Abi was able to breathe, and she slumped backwards against the tiled bathroom wall. She groaned as her entire body tingled painfully. Shit, she could taste the alcohol in the back of her throat.

It seemed the Devil was alive, and his name was vodka.

Abi put her head between her knees, then opted to lie down on the cool tiled floor and covered her eyes. Everything was painful and fuzzy. There was the sound of knocking, but it seemed like she imagined it. How did she even get back to the inn?

An image of her puking on Laxus's shoes popped into her mind. Oh. That's how.

Wait. How did she get so drunk? Did she say anything she shouldn't have? Everything was so murky. Her stomach growled, and her throat felt extremely dry.

Water. She needed water.

Abi hauled herself upright and moved to the sink. Turning the nozzle, the blonde wizard tipped her head to the side and started guzzling water straight out of the tap. She didn't come up for air until she felt her thirst sated. Abi took deep, uneven breaths as she gripped the sink and tried to stabilize herself. Her world still spun, and she tried to focus on her reflection in the mirror.

God, she was a mess. Her thick hair was plastered to her forehead and stuck up in all directions, her teal eyes unfocused, and sweat and spit dripped down her neck. She coughed.

Suddenly, an even more violent wave of nausea crashed over her. All the water she drank hit her stomach and wanted to come back up. Abi collapsed toward the toilet and puked again, violently, coughing and sputtering as her world spun.

Her body shook, and she groaned. The painful, poignant feeling of throwing up passed and she trembled slightly as she gripped the toilet seat and flushed the handle again.

As the sounds of rushing water subsided, a knocking resonated through the quiet room.

Abi peeled her head up from the plastic and blew some hair out of her face. Normally, she would have freaked out. Who in their right mind would be up so early? What time was it anyway? And who would be knocking on her door? Eh, she would deal with it later.

Abi pushed herself upright and stumbled back into the annoyingly bright, illuminated bedroom. She flopped on her bed and covered her head with a pillow. The blonde closed her eyes and prayed to go back to sleep. Maybe the person knocking would leave.

 _Tap. Tap-Tap. Tap. Tap-Tap._

Nope, the polite knocking persisted on the door. She let out a guttural moan and pushed herself out of bed and toward the door, wiping her mouth with the back of her hand. She bumped into the door and groaned. A part of her wondered if somebody hostile stood on the other side, but at this point in time, death would be a mercy and Abi would welcome someone's attack as long as they made it quick.

Her hands fumbled with the lock and she pulled open the door, wincing at the noise it made. Abi looked around, then down.

A very, very short old man stood before her. The white hair that still remained on his bald head stuck up around the sides, and he had a thick white mustache over a serious, frowning mouth. Heavyset eyebrows were lowered over hard, grey eyes and he wore a white, fur lined robe with gold epaulettes over the shoulders.

Her mouth hung open. In all his short glory, the wizard saint and master of Fairy Tail, Makerov Dreyer, stood in her doorway. He looked over her, eyebrows shooting up in surprise. Abi stared back at him, dumbfounded. Was she hallucinating?

A cool breeze against her legs made her look down. Abi flushed. Oh god. She wasn't wearing any pants. Before the old man could open his mouth, she slammed the door shut and stumbled to her duffle bag. Smelling clean clothes, Abi realized she reeked of booze. Her hands trembled as she dug through her clothes and tried to find a pair of pants. What the hell was guild master doing here?! She found a pair of loose fitting black pants and feverishly pulled them on. A bandage over her knee caught her eye… when did that happen? So many questions and thoughts swam in her mind, it felt like putting her brain into a blender and turning it on the highest setting.

Her mind spun- where were her weapons? Under the pillow? Under the bed? The desire to run away was very, very real. But she needed to keep her cover. Her stomach growled audibly and a wave of nausea passed through her again. She was in no condition to move fast and run.

"It's not nice to slam the door in someone's face," The old man chided behind the door.

Her head pounded, and Abi grit her teeth. She could run out the window, but all of her things were here. Plus, she didn't need one of the Ten Wizards Saints knocking down her door; that was too conspicuous. What Abi wouldn't give for an Advil and a change of address. She was hung over and didn't need this right now. As she struggled to get back in her pants, Abi let out a groan as a response and said groggily, "I'm coming."

She pulled the door open again and rubbed her eyes. Maybe it was all in her imagination. Nope. He was still there. Not a hallucination.

Makarov put his hands behind his back and looked up at her calmly, "Young lady, may I come in?"

Abi opened the door farther and didn't say anything. At the moment, the sound of her voice made her brain hurt. The guild master stepped inside and glanced around. "What a nice place you have here," He said pleasantly.

Abi numbly closed the door and stared at the short man. He was lying. Although her sheets remained intact, the bedcovers were kicked off and laid in a heap on the floor, her clothes were strewn all over the place, and the bathroom stank of throw up. The only clear part was the side of the bed closest to the bed. Makarov walked that way and hopped onto the bed, hands on his knees. He looked around, his dark grey eyes regarding the room curiously. Abi leaned against the door and tried to swallow the bitter taste of old booze and acid reflux on her tongue.

The old master regarded her carefully; there was no particular malice in his eyes, nor kindness. She felt like his eyes saw past her exterior and pierced her soul. Abi felt frozen in place, her head continued to throb. The thief wanted to be anywhere but here.

A silence lapsed between them. Finally, the old man cleared his throat and gave her a small smile.

"Rough night?" He asked. Abi groaned in response and grimaced at him. Makarov chuckled slightly, "Yes, most who were in the Bar Sun last night are having a slow morning. I believe my grandson is _still_ in bed."

At the mention of the lightning wizard, her expression darkened slightly. The thief leaned against the door and looked at the guild master with tired eyes. "Why did you get me out of bed?"

"I wanted to talk. Laxus informed me that you're the same person who stole a Morphos Lacrima. I see now that you were indeed a part of the Blue Phoenix guild."

There was a look of confirmation in his grey eyes, but he delivered his sentences like questions. Abi found herself nodding in agreement, despite herself. He must've seen the mark on her thigh: it was a bitter reminder. Images of the old stone guildhall flashed in her mind. Makarov's thick white brows lowered, and he nodded. "Blue Phoenix was a strong little guild. Master Boris was a good man and a dear friend. It greatly saddened me to learn of its destruction six years ago."

Abi crossed her arms and glared at the floor. She wanted to say something, but her mouth felt like it was lined with led. Makarov continued, "How intriguing that out of a guild of fifty-two people, you alone survived."

She shifted her weight and her eyes darkened. The girl studied him beneath thick lashes suspiciously. Still, she said nothing. Her stomach steeled over and her pulse quickened slightly. Just because Makarov recognized her guild mark didn't mean… They stood in silence, taking in each other's presence.

"I apologize for popping in without notice, but when Laxus told me about your guild mark last night, I felt it was absolutely necessary to meet you."

"Wha-," Abi croaked, then cleared her throat. "What are you doing here?" She asked, her voice hoarse and hostile. Makarov fixed his eyes on hers, and his pleasant smile slipped a bit.

"I could ask you the same thing, Praesidio."

Internally, Abi's insides twisted and her body tensed. All her instincts told her to bolt through the door or blast his head in. Neither option was viable in her current state. Instead, she maintained her hungover, deadpan expression and blinked at Makarov.

"Who?"

"You know what I'm talking about."

Abi groaned and rubbed her eyes, "Sorry, dude, my name's Hannah Walters. I don't know any Pray-sideros or whatever you said. Why are you here?" She yawned and slumped back against the door.

"Your name is Abi Divone and you are a Praesidio. Your blood is that of the Seven Sentinels."

Abi's insides twisted at his words. Anger swelled in her head and adrenaline began to push the hangover down as she looked over Makarov and wondered if she could take him in a fight.

The old guild master held up a hand as if he knew what she was thinking and said, "I didn't come here to brawl with you, Abi. I just thought I should lay my cards down on the table. I know what you are-," Abi opened her mouth to interrupt him, but Makarov cut her off, "-and no. No one else knows."

The master cupped his hands around his knee and leaned back on the bed. She inhaled and exhaled audibly. All she wanted was to get away from this conversation and some food. Her stomach gurgled agreement.

The blonde woman ran a hand over her face. "How did you know?"

Makarov arched an eyebrow. "About you? Master Boris confided in me about the dangerous little girl he found in the woods many years ago: he wondered whether he should turn you over to the magic counsel or let you grow up in his guild. You certainly have grown since the last time I saw you."

Her teal eyes widened. Blue Phoenix was destroyed almost six years ago, and Makarov disappeared for more than seven years…Master Boris knew about her being a Praesidio that early on? And he still protected her? He sacrificed Blue Phoenix's safety for her? Suddenly, the room felt like it was spinning again, and she tried to process the old man's words. Some deep-seated emotion swirled in her stomach, a mixture of shame and pain that made her want to throw up. _It's just the hangover_. She bit her lip and tried to force the feeling back into whatever pit it came from.

"I'm not talking about that." She responded bitterly, "How did you find me here?"

The Fairy Tail guild master shrugged his hunched shoulders. "I had my suspicions it about you when Laxus told me about the morphos lacrima and described your powers when you first met in Edera. And last night, I see him escort a rather drunk woman home, and when he returns, he asks me about the Blue Phoenix guild. Abi, it's not hard to put two and two together."

She flushed angrily and folded her arms. "What do you want from me?"

Makarov released his grip around his knee and put his hands up in a sign of surrender. "I came to talk, Praesidio."

"Stop calling me that," She snapped. The old guild master sighed and hopped off the bed.

"I need to know, Abi- are you the last one?"

The blonde woman narrowed her eyes and folded her arms. If the master knew so much about her, then he should've known that the Praesidio take care of their blood. Her family would never have let her join a guild. She had been alone long before Master Boris found her all those years ago.

"Obviously."

A dark look came over Makarov's eyes. He tensed, and the seams of his jacket stretched as his shoulders began to swell in size. "Two of my children have been hurt by magic _remarkably_ similar to yours."

 _Remain calm._ She didn't need the giant of Fairy Tail ripping apart her nice Bed and Breakfast so early in the morning. Abi forced her voice to remain calm: "When?"

Black Snake flashed in her mind, but then a conversation with Laxus floated into through the fog of her mind. _Wendy_. If Laxus thought she hurt some kid named Wendy, then the little fucker definitely told his dear old gramps.

"The first night of the games, a child was completely drained of magic power. Then, yesterday, Lucy's attack was _completely_ nullified."

Abi rolled her eyes. "Ever think the attack was just blocked?"

She doubted the old man would have gone out of his way to find her if the attack was just blocked. Something else must have been at play. Could it be Black Snake's mimic magic? No… she met him last night, after the first day of the Games. It bothered her that someone possessed similar powers, but there was no way it was another Praesidio. Her family was the last of the Seven Sentinels, and she was all that was left of them.

Makarov's eyes turned gold in response to her question, and she wanted to eat the words that came out of her mouth.

The blonde woman put up her hands and said, "I don't know what you want me to say. I don't know what you're talking about."

"Then how do you explain the drain of magic energy? Our healer said it was caused by the same magic signature- the same person." The master's voice hummed with magic energy, and the dark-skinned woman fought the urge to shrink back.

Abi threw her hands up in the air. "I don't know!"

She folded her arms and slumped against the wood door. Her eyebrows lowered, and a snarl curled on her lips. "I'll let you in on a secret old man... I can't nullify spells from a distance. I'm not skilled enough. Magic _has_ to touch me- skin to magic. Now tell me, old man, did you see me in the arena yesterday?" She paused briefly, not allowing Makarov to reply. "No, you didn't. Wanna know why? Because, at the moment, I can't even get _into_ the Games if I wanted to- trust me, I've tried!"

The old man's thick eyebrows shot up in surprise, and the magic unfurling around him dissolved. The seams of his white robe relaxed as his muscles shrunk back to normal size. Makarov ran a hand over his mustache and was quiet for a few moments. An agitated silence lapsed between them.

Finally, he spoke: "Your blood can restore magic energy, yes?"

Abi bristled at his question. "Why are you asking?"

"Wendy has Magic Deficiency Syndrome. She's a dragon slayer, and without magic… I fear for the worst."

"Well, I didn't attack your little girl!" Abi snapped, feeling like this conversation was all too familiar. She bared her teeth at Makarov and felt her skin begin to tighten with anger. A little bit of magic began to seep from her skin, just enough to make the guild master narrow his eyes at her. "I'm tired to being accused of this shit. I am trying to keep a _low profile_ , Old Man. How exactly does attacking a little girl of Fairy Tail- the most dramatic guild in Fiore- achieve that?"

His eyebrows lowered. "I am not accusing you of anything, Abi Divone. I'm trying to ask you for a favor."

The Praesidio's mouth went dry. What kind of favor would a Wizard Saint ask of her?

"I need you to heal Wendy with your blood."

Abi's eyes hardened, and she straightened against the door. "Get out."

Makarov looked at the dark-skinned girl with a disappointed expression. "You would let an ancient code keep you from helping an innocent child?"

Abi clenched her teeth and unclenched them. Who the hell did he think he was? Waltzing in here, dredging up the past, then making requests that could put her in harm's way? The girl folded her arms. "This isn't about the Code." Abi snapped. "And I don't need some morality lesson. _"_

 _Do not spill your own blood for others, lest they have spilt theirs for you._ Whenever bits the ancient Praesidio code flashed in her mind, she heard her father's voice deliver them. It was one of the many commandments of the Seven Sentinels. Those rules were drilled into her mind before she could speak. It was the Praesidio's attempt at a moral commandment of how to survive in a changing world. She was surprised Makarov knew of the code- Praesidio existed in a few occult texts and were known only by those close to the Magic Counsel.

"Forgive me, but it appears you do. Master Boris hoped to turn you to the path of kindness, friendship, and light, but it's clear you ignored his lessons. It pains me to see the last of his children so selfish."

"Shut up." Abi pushed upright and wasn't sure what to do with herself. Anger bubbled up, and she wanted to hit something. The Wizard Saint Guild Master wouldn't be a good option. She would've stormed out, but this was her room.

"You have no idea who I am, or what I've been through. Get out." She jerked her head towards the door. Her brain hit her scull and Abi clenched her teeth as a wave of nausea passed through her.

Makarov waved his feet in the air and then slid off the bed. He landed softly on the ground and scowled at Abi. The expression reminded her of Laxus. The thought was not a comfort.

"You helped my grandson, even if it was to save your own skin. So, what do I need to do to get you to help Wendy?"

She cocked her head to the side, eyebrows raising with interest. This could be very promising. Giving her blood to someone who had done nothing for her made Abi's skin crawl, but if it allowed her to find where that strange magic energy came from, she would sacrifice a little bit of safety.

"If- and that's a big 'if'- if I decide to help you, no one can know about it. It stays between you and me. No one can know what I am."

Makarov nodded slowly, stroking his white mustache. "Very well. I assume there's more to your terms."

Abi nodded. Her father was rolling in his grave. She flicked a braid off her shoulder. "I need access to the games for the _entire_ week. VIP access, same rights as if I'm a member of Fairy Tail. If I have to, I'll even wear that cute little emblem right here." She tapped a finger to her right cheekbone and smiled.

Makarov's expression turned sour very quickly. _Shit, I gotta' sell this better._ Her stomach flipped, and she put up a hand, "Okay, okay… and I'll even track down the perp who attacked your kids, pro bono."

The old man sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose. He closed his eyes and thought for a few moments, before looking up at Abi patiently, like she was simply an impudent child who needed a conversation about being reasonable, "Are you trying to barter with an innocent child's health for personal gain?"

The hung-over woman gave Makarov a shit-eating grin nodded, "Yeah. You did it first though, old man. Now we got a deal, or what?"

* * *

 **Okay, so just to provide some clarity to the timeline/ all you need to know that's important about the Blue Phoenix Guild as of right now:**

 **It's emblem was a Blue Phoenix, and it was headed by Makarov's old friend Master Boris. It's a smaller wizard guild out in the middle of nowhere and Boris found Abi when she was a kid, approximately 11 years ago. During the seven years the main Fairy Tail characters were frozen in time, the Blue Phoenix was attacked and obliterated. By what? Only time will tell!**

 **This was supposed to be half of a chapter, but it ended up taking on a life of it's own and being much longer than I anticipated. I enjoyed writing Abi and Makarov, and really setting up next part of this arc.**

 **Sorry for the brief hiatus!** **Hope you enjoyed the chapter!**


	12. Games: Day 2 Tensions

Chapter 12:

After the disaster that was Chariots, Laxus watched the first fight of the day with his team. It was between Black Snake of Raven Tail and Toby of Lamia Scale.

The Fairy Tail guild watched Raven Tail tensely. Their willingness to play dirty was concerning for any guild here, and Fairy Tail would seize any opportunity to catch them cheating. The dog man and the snake battled, and it appeared the mimic mage was holding back. Laxus narrowed his eyes; Black Snake toyed with Toby to get a reaction out of the crowd.

He hit him with Max's Sand Rebellion and easily stepped out of the way of Toby's claws. Finally, the sandstorm consumed them both, obscuring them from the crowd, and Fairy Tail braced for the outcome. Suddenly, the sand parted as a burst of light hit the dog-man and sent him flying across the arena. Toby's bare chest was smoking, and he lay on the pit's sand gasping for air. The match was over.

Black Snake stood triumphant, shoulders thrown back and his black lips parted in a wide smile. He held up his hand, and a ball of pure white energy danced over his palm before it was extinguished as he closed his fist. Laxus's eyes narrowed. He recognized that magic- the taste of raw magic energy. It carried traces of Abi's power. Unease settled over him.

"The dust has settled, and we can clearly see Toby on the ground. That's it, folks! Black Snake slides away with another win for Raven Tail!" As the bell rung, the crowd howled in approval.

"Look at the scoreboard and you'll see Raven Tail fiercely climbing to the top- now at 36 points." Chapati Lola declared excitedly.

"And Lamia Scale at 20." Mr. Yajima added in over the loudspeaker.

"SO COOL!" The guest announcer, Jason from Sorcerer's Weekly, yelled into the microphone.

Laxus's eyes immediately went to his father in the crowd, who did not change in his reaction to his guild's success. The other members of Raven Tail smiled smugly, and Laxus curled his lip but said nothing. Gajeel grunted and narrowed his eyes.

"Looks like Kurohebi's got some new tricks," The Iron Dragon Slayer muttered under his breath. The two dragon slayers stood side by side. Laxus raised a brow but didn't take his eyes off the scene developing down in the sand pit. "You know him?"

Gajeel guffawed. "Barely. He was a kid last time I saw him. Liked snakes and stealing things. Ivan upped the punk's game." The blonde man nodded his head slightly in response.

"Maybe he's not that bad- he just helped Toby find his sock," Mirajane spoke softly and both Dragon Slayers looked down at her incredulously. _You look for the good in anyone, Mira_ , Laxus thought to himself, but snorted and said aloud, "Yeah, right."

The sound of splitting fabric filled the arena as the Raven Tail wizard shredded Toby's sock. An audible gasp went across the stadium, followed by the dog-man's wails. Black Snake smiled widely and spun around to stalk towards the pit's exit. His guild mates laughed at the misfortune of the Lamia Scale guild member.

"You should never have told me how much that stinking rag meant to you. Dumb move."

"Let's move onto Round Two of today's Head to Head Battles."

The crowd tittered in excitement at the coming match. The team knew Mirajane would go up against Jenny Realight from Blue Pegasus, so they weren't worried about being selected.

"First, from Quattro Cerberus, it's the God of Wine, Bacchus!" Lola rumbled over the loudspeaker. The crowd roared in approval. Cana, who lounged on the seats behind Team B moaning about her hangover, sat up abruptly. Laxus heard all about how last night, Bacchus drank Fairy Tail's boozer under the table and took her top as a prize.

"Fighting a member of Team Fairy Tail A!" Team B looked at each other in surprise, then leaned forward in anticipation.

The brunette stumbled forward, pushing past Laxus and Gajeel toward the balcony of their box. Cana caught herself on the stone railing and the Iron Dragon Slayer put his hand on her arm, "Easy there-,"

" _FIGHT_!" Cana howled, swinging her fists up and down. "Someone avenge me, I don't care who it is!"

Mira sidestepped a fist and said sweetly, "Oh my! Relax, Cana."

Juvia swept a lock of blue hair over her shoulder and looked at Cana up and down apraisingly. "I'm sure my darling Grey will get the job done."

"Elfman Straus!" Chapati Lola answered Fairy Tail's question of the competitor. Mira paled and put her hands up to her mouth.

"It's Elfman's turn?" She whispered, eyes going wide with fear for her younger brother. Laxus scanned the crowd. The Straus brother looked terrified and Laxus grimaced. That was going to be a tough loss for Fairy Tail A, but at least that meant _his_ team were that much closer to winning the bet.

Gajeel nudged him and motioned towards Raven Tail's box. A few members of Ivan's guild had slipped away from their box. Strange, his father disappeared as well. Laxus narrowed his eyes. While he wanted to see the fight between Elfman and Bacchus, his father took priority.

"I'm gonna check on some things. Keep an eye on Raven Tail," The Dragon Slayer told his team. Mirajane looked surprised but didn't argue. Laxus turned and headed down the hallway, away from the arena.

Makerov had warned Laxus about keeping his distance from Ivan because outright conflict between guilds could result in immediate disqualification. But his father had a blatant vendetta against Fairy Tail, and Laxus could not allow any more harm to befall his guild because of it. The Lightning mage turned the corner into the main corridor and headed toward the entrance of Raven Tail's box. It was on the opposite side of the colosseum. The stone halls were especially empty due to everyone watching Elfman's beatdown. His steps echoed down the corridors.

Suddenly, a familiar scent crossed his path. His father _was_ out and about.

Laxus clenched his jaw and quickened his stride. He strained his ears to pick up any sound of conversation.

That's when he heard the reptilian, hissing voice of Black Snake, "…it was her power that I used today."

Laxus stopped dead in his tracks.

"How… interesting. You don't see that type of magic every day." A deep metallic, voice rasped. His father's scent was even stronger now, but the voice didn't belong to him. The Fairy Tail wizard stepped lightly forward and leaned against the corridor's wall. The voices came from behind a small doorway a couple yards away. Laxus tried to look casual as he crossed his arms and stared down at the thick stone floor.

"No, you don't." A female replied, and Laxus straightened. He recognized that voice. The Dragon Slayer sniffed the air. He recognized that scent, too.

His Father. Abi.

"That's why I don't use it in public, especially in some stupid grudge match." Her voice was cross. She was not happy about _something_. The use of her power in public? That confirms Laxus's suspicion of Black Snake's last show of power.

Someone hissed in laughter, presumably Black Snake.

"Oh, come on. I _know_ you have more to show us, Abi." The serpentine voice continued. It was followed by the scraping sound of a metal weapon being drawn.

"Don't push me, Kurohebi."

A tense silence lapsed in the side hallway. Laxus cocked his head to the side and glanced down the corridor. His father's voice greeted his ears.

"She is a valuable resource, Black Snake. We may have further use for her- beyond being a source for you to copy. I would love to stay in contact."

"Whatever. Is this meet and greet over?"

"Yes. We'll talk soon, _Abi_."

Anger blossomed in Laxus's chest. _Stay in contact?_ The Dragon Slayer saw red- she did lie to him. Abi was in league with his father. All the explanations she gave him yesterday were lies. She was the one who attacked Wendy. He inhaled and exhaled. Two pairs of footsteps echoed on the stone floor, and Laxus looked down at the hallway entrance to see Alexei and Black Snake exit. The mimic mage smiled widely as they made eye contact; the armored wizard seemed unfazed.

Black Snake gave a small wave and turned the other direction. Alexei stared at Laxus for a moment longer. Waves of his father's scent washed over him, and the Dragon Slayer narrowed his eyes. Was that his old man beneath the gold mask?

Finally, Alexei rasped, "We'll see each other tomorrow, Laxus." He turned away, and together the two mages walked down the corridor, back toward Raven Tail's box.

Laxus walked towards the hallway where they met with Abi. The hallway was older than the wide corridor that encircled the colosseum; it's torch lacrimas highlighted the moss growing between its small cobblestones stones and the narrow space could only fit three \ people across. Abi leaned against the wall with her arms crossed and she stared at the various stones that made up the opposite wall.

Her hair was pulled back into two long blonde braids today, and she was dressed more like a bodyguard, with her lacrima infused belt and a _jian_ strapped to her thigh. The blade was a short, double edged, dagger-like sword, most likely designed for close combat. The tight fitting sports bra showed off her lithe body, while the loose, high rise black pants did wonders for her butt. Same circular jewel wrapped around her throat, same defiant expression in her eyes. Hard to think less than twelve hours before, she was stumbling around drunk.

At the sound of footsteps, Abi snapped her head to the side, blue eyes glowing slightly in defense. Her eyebrows lowered and the light in her irises dimmed as she recognized him. "Laxus. To what do I owe the pleasure?"

"'Said you didn't know my dad… _right_?" Laxus sneered. The thief moved off the wall immediately, shifting her weight forward. The lightning mage moved without thinking. He grabbed her by the arms and pinned her back against the wall. Abi let out a yelp of surprise and looked up at him with wide, surprised eyes, "Laxus, what the hell?"

"Don't play with me," He snapped, feeling electricity start to pop off his skin. "You were just talking to Raven Tail- to my dad."

Abi's expression of surprise dropped; her eyebrows lowered, and her mouth curled into a snarl. "I'm not in league with your father, if that's what you're implying." Laxus felt his hands tingle where he gripped her shoulders, and Abi's blue eyes glowed slightly. _God damn it_ \- she was absorbing his power again. The Dragon Slayer immediately dropped his grip on her skin with a growl, but he did not back away from her. They glowered at each other, their faces inches apart, noses almost touching. The air became filled with magic energy.

"Then why do I smell my father and his guild all over you?"

Abi knit her eyebrows together and folded her arms. Her forearms brushed against the fur lining his jacket. "You're crazy. It was only Alexei and Black Snake- your dad wasn't even here in person! He used one of those paper dolls to project himself, which, by the way, you all look _nothing alike_. Besides maybe your arrogance!"

At her words, a bolt of electricity jumped onto the small sword sheathed on the thief's side. A part of him felt irrational, and he needed to reign in his power before it reflected badly on Fairy Tail. Gramp's face flashed before his eyes. Laxus clenched his fists and spun away from her, stalking over to the other side of the hallway. He stared at a cracked stone and focused on his breathing. The Dragon Slayer needed to cool it. Unfortunately, that smug blonde and his father's scent kept his temper high. While Laxus seethed, Abi composed herself, inhaling and exhaling unsteadily.

"Arrogance isn't even a physical characteristic." He grumbled under his breath. Then, he turned around and glared at Abi, "And that's beside the point." Laxus pointed at the thief again and she put her hands up in response, an innocent expression on her face. He stalked back over to her, while the smell of ozone filed the air.

" _You_ are going to tell me what Raven Tail wants."

"Oh am I?" She replied hotly and pointed a finger right back. "I owe you nothing, so I am going to tell you _nothing_."

Laxus was about to respond, when his eyes dropped down to the bandage around her extended finger. Bandage? That didn't seem right. He looked up again at Abi's blazing blue eyes. Her magic energy resided in her blood… wait. Suddenly, the tension in his neck and shoulders evaporated and his magic power slipped back under the surface of his skin. His reassertion of control made Abi pale.

"You want my power, right?" Laxus took Abi's extended hand and pressed it to his chest, right where the collar of his dark button down opened up. He kept her hand on his clavicle, and a jolt of electricity passed between their skin at contact. He leaned into her hand, which had gone limp, and he grinned. "Go on and take it, _Prae-_."

" _Don't_ say that word here. There's too many ears." Her blue eyes flared, but there was trace of fear behind the anger. She looked the Dragon Slayer up and down, before leaning in and whispering, "You know?"

Laxus actually did _not_ know what a Praesidio was, but he nodded with a smile. "You said _a lot_ of interesting things last night."

Abi's expression hardened and Laxus felt a jolt of cold energy center on her hand. It was like her hand was a lightning rod, drawing all his electricity into her skin. His heart rate jumped, and he felt her magic spread through his veins- its tendrils deep, cold, and dark, like every fiber in his body was being sucked into a bottomless pit. The whites of Abi's eyes glowed gold and she set her jaw. Laxus felt his knees start to weaken and he gripped her hand a little tighter, wondering if he made the wrong call.

Then, the feeling stopped. Abi's hand returned to its normal, warm touch. So, she wasn't stupid enough to blatantly drain people of energy. The thief did not meet Laxus's eyes as they stood there for a moment, her hand on his chest, and his hand over hers. His gamble paid off- she wasn't going to kill him. Now he knew a rule, but what was her game?

The blonde woman slipped her hand away from Laxus's chest. She walked away from the wall, and Laxus turned and leaned against it, watching her as she turned her back to him. Abi's blue eyes were closed, fingers at her temple. He was silent, letting her be the first one to talk.

When she opened her eyes, she asked: "Are we done?" She did not turn around.

"Are we?" Laxus responded, not moving from his spot. He reassumed his usual air of quiet, assertive confidence, slipping his arms underneath the dark fur cape once more.

Abi pivoted and shot him a glance with an unreadable expression. Laxus stared at her and said nothing. An unspoken understanding passed between them: this was not over by a long shot.

Abi tossed back a braid of champagne colored hair and walked out of the side hallway. And she turned toward Raven Tail on her way out.


	13. The Deal Thickens

Chapter 13:

Abi looked up at the sign of Bar Sun and let out a low exhale through her teeth. Inside, Fairy Tail thunderously partied. The sound of cups hitting tabletops, glass shattering, shouts, and howls of laughter filled the entire block. People on the streets looked at the bar with a mixture of curiosity and annoyance. _How hard can they go?_ Abi wasn't sure she wanted to know the answer. She shifted her weight nervously and felt her palms prick with sweat.

 _I never should have bartered with Makarov; now it seems like I have to do what he says,_ she thought sullenly to herself. The thief might as well have joined the guild at this rate, then at least she could make an honest living. Abi let out a bark of laughter at the thought and shook her head. Honest work— what a joke.

"So what am I doing here?" She mused aloud to herself. Why in the world was she working with a guild— a guild where _two people_ knew what she was— and doing it all pro-bono? Sure, the tickets could be considered payment, but still. Guards, dark guilds, and a particular dragon slayer posed as major hazards to her health and well-being. Why was she even here in Crocus? The thief studied the wooden Bar Sun sign as she contemplated leaving everything behind, and just walking away from it all.

 _You know you can't,_ Abi told herself. _The magic energy has gotten stronger each year, and it's connected to the Morphos Lacrimas._ And unfortunately, if it was connected to the Morphos Lacrimas, it was connected to Abi.

Suddenly, the bar door swung open. A tall, muscular, imposing woman stood in the entryway. The woman radiated confidence in a black turtleneck and a short navy blue skirt. Her legs went on for miles and tapered into a perfect hourglass figure. The woman's scarlet hair was pulled up into a ponytail and her dark brown eyes widened in surprise, as she didn't expect someone to be standing right outside the door.

"Oh, can I help you?" Erza Scarlet asked evenly.

Abi needed to pick her jaw up off the floor. _Titania_ was standing in front of her. The thief's heart hammered in her chest and she rubbed her palms together nervously, trying to form a coherent sentence. All thoughts evaporated from her brain. A wave of nausea swept over the blonde woman as she realized she was standing five feet away from the most powerful female wizard in all of Fiore. Erza was the one wizard Abi ever really idolized when she was young. Somewhere in the rubble of the Blue Phoenix guildhall lay a trunk full of _Socercer's Weekly_ featuring Erza Scarlet. Abi avidly followed her adventures and cover photos- the wizard's strength and prowess never ceased to excite her as a child. Hearing about her "death" seven years ago made Abi cry. Yet here Titania stood, proud and tall, cocking her head to the side as she looked at Abi appraisingly. It was like she came straight out of the Sorcerer Weekly's page.

"Miss, are you alright?" Erza asked, stepping toward the thief cautiously. Abi blinked.

Then she snapped out of it. "Oh, um, yeah- I mean yes! Everything's fine, no need to worry about me, Miss Titania- I mean Erza- I mean Miss Scarlet." _Real fuckin' smooth_ , Abi thought to herself, flushing furiously. Erza smiled softly, closing the door to the pub.

"Erza is just fine. Are you a fan? Did you come here to see me?" Her demeanor was so gentle, which was not what Abi was expecting.

"Uh, no." Erza raised a brow at that. Abi wanted to bite off her own tongue, "Wait- sorry that came out wrong." she took a step back, running a hand over her face. The dim streetlight cast shadows over the two women; it highlighted sections Abi's pale blonde hair and obscured her dark skin, creating stark contrast on the contours of her face. The thief let out a huff of air and tried to meet Erza's intense brown eyes.

"I am, actually, a _huge_ fan of your work. The way you took out those Vulcans back in August X784? Incredible." Erza smiled and looked down humbly, "It was nothing. If it weren't for my friends, I never would have been able to defeat my enemy."

Abi felt her insides melt and her heart float out of her body. _Oh my god, she's so cool_. Her heart hammered in her chest and she swallowed. Is it bad to ask for an autograph? The thief didn't want to appear pushy or weird. The sound of an a man shouting inside caused Erza to glance over her shoulder, and reminded Abi why she was here, looking like a fool. _Makarov._

The thief cleared her throat. "Actually. I, um- Makarov- the guild master asked to see me…" Erza's head whipped around, eyebrows shooting up in curiosity. Abi's brain went to mush when they made eye contact, and she mumbled, "…your highness."

Erza furrowed her brow. "You're a wizard?" Most people had that reaction to Abi. Her type of magic emitted zero energy when it was dormant. The thief shrugged and stuck her hands in the pockets of her jeans.

"Somethin' like that."

Did that come off too mysterious? Like she was trying to be cool? Abi suddenly felt compelled to tell Erza everything- _so that way she knows I'm not some try-hard._ Abi stared at the ground and restrained herself. Her entire body quivered in excitement, fear, and admiration. Her heart thundered in her ears. "Would you be able to tell him really quickly that, uh… his guest is here?"

Titania furrowed her brow. "Are you sure you don't wanna go inside? They're certainly a rowdy bunch, but no harm will come of you."

 _Yeah, right_. Abi imagined walking inside. As soon as the door would click shut, Laxus would grab her by the throat and pin her up against the wall. The thief rubbed her neck and shook her head, giving a wan smile. "It's better I'm out here."

Erza shrugged and said, "Very well." She ducked back inside. While the door was open, the smell of sweat, booze, and cheap food bombarded Abi. The raucous sounds of music and laughter was amplified, and warm, bright light spilled onto the street. Then the door shut, leaving Abi alone on the street next to the canal. She looked up at the moon and stars, wishing she could see more constellations.

A few minutes later, the door swung open. Erza walked out, followed by a disheveled guild master. The old man stumbled outside with his hand bracing against the wall; his glassy drunk eyes scanned the area for his visitor. When his eyes landed on the blonde woman standing in jeans and a cropped wrap top, he pointed and slurred, "Abi _gal_! So glad you could make it!"

Erza put her hand on the short man's shoulder and said, "I have matters to attend to, but I'll be back before midnight." She looked over at Abi, "It was nice meeting you…" The redhead cocked her head to the side, obviously trying to recall a name that was not provided. The thief smiled sheepishly and nodded, "It was truly an honor, Erza."

Titania narrowed her eyes but did not press the matter. She left the two of them and slipped away into the night.

The guild master pointed his finger at Abi, his voice elevated. "Abi!" He cheered with a smile, "Wha-why are you doing here again?"

The thief folded her arms, "I don't know, you told me to come here."

Makarov swayed on his feet, then rocked back and promptly sat down. "Right, right, right. I had some important news to tell you."

Duh. If the guild master reached out, it was important. The blonde woman's stomach churned at his words, but she felt impatient looking at the drunk old man sitting on the cobblestone street. The Wizard Saint was not at his finest. Abi brushed a lock of blonde hair off her shoulder and took a step back, "Maybe we should do this another time."

"No!" Makarov shook his head immediately and frowned at Abi, "We should go somewhere- do you know somewhere…." He paused, blinking as he tried to sober up, "Somewhere private?"

Makarov stared at the ground and furrowed his brow, clearly trying to make his clouded brain work. Abi glanced down the street apprehensively and folded her arms. She shifted her weight uneasily. Then, the guild master struggled to standing and turned around. His movements were unsteady and he searched forward and grabbed the door. "Nah, no, no! Let's go back inside."

Abi exhaled slowly as her patience disappeared quickly. "Why would we go _inside_ for privacy?"

"Because I need another drink."

Abi crossed the street in three long strides. She grabbed him by the arm and pulled him off the door. "No, we agreed no one can know. Just tell me right now what's so important, Makarov, so I can leave."

"'No one can know' what?" A deep voice rumbled behind her. Cold, soul crushing dread washed over Abi. The blonde woman's entire body froze, her shoulders tightening. Every hair on her forearms stood straight up. Every nerve—no pun intended—felt electrified. She wondered what she did in life to deserve such such misfortune. Okay, she deserved it, but still _._ She exhaled slowly and prayed: _Please. Please._ Please _don't let it be him._

God didn't answer her prayers. The old man peered over her shoulder and brightened instantly, "Laxus, my boy! What're you doin' out here?"

Abi didn't need to turn around to know the man behind her. Every rational thought went out of her brain. Her natural instincts insisted she fight or flee immediately.

"Get your hands off my gramps, Klepto."

Abi slowly put her hands up in the air and took a few steps backward. Makarov sagged back against the pub door and hiccuped. She looked down at the guild master, sneaking a glance down to the cobblestone street; Laxus's shadow placed him near the lamppost. Abi lowered her arms and an expression of innocence slipping over her face. "Would you look at the time?"

She turned and barely took a step before a firm hand closed around her bicep. The brute always moved too fast for her liking. Abi twisted over her shoulder to lock eyes on the insufferable Dragon Slayer.

Laxus's scowl morphed into a cruel smile; he flashed his canines at her as he said, "Stay. The night's still young, Abi." He pulled the thief in a little bit closer to his chest; a shiver went through her body. She pulled her arm back against his grip and smiled back at him coldly.

Despite his sinful smile, the broad shouldered man looked down at her with cold, stormy grey eyes. Her eyes traced over his defined jawline and down to his large, black coat draped over his shoulders, and then to the opening of his dark purple silk button-down. His powerful chest strained against the fabric, causing the shirt to pull at the buttons and offer a glimpse of tanned skin. Her hand tingled as she remembered the feel of his skin against her fingertips _. Stupid aftershock_ , she thought crossly.

"I'm leaving." She told Laxus cooly.

Makarov struggled upward and shook his head, "No- no- stay! I still haven't told you what I needed to tell you!"

Abi stiffened and looked between the Dreyer men. Her stomach churned. What did Makarov need to tell her, and _why_ was it about to be shared with Laxus? A part of her knew it was naive to think she could use a Fairy Tail pass and _not_ interact with Laxus, but she didn't feel like it was necessary to include him in everything. Their paths crossed far too often for her liking.

"Mind telling me what's going on here?" Laxus rumbled, tightening his grip. Abi shrugged and shook her head, biting back angry words.

"Not particularly." She spoke shortly.

She wrenched her arm from his grip and took a few steps back, exchanging withering glares with the Dragon Slayer. He backed up to lean against the stonewall of the pub and crossed his arms; his hands disappeared beneath his thick coat. They stood on the quiet street, Makarov leaning against the wall on the other side of the thick wooden door, Laxus draped in the shadows of the building, and Abi under the streetlight. Inside the bar, someone bellowed for more beer. The woman and the dragon slayer exchanged a silent glare.

Laxus kept his eyes on the thief but directly spoke to Gramps: "Whatever's going on here, Gramps, you can't trust her."

"Who says I do?" Makarov responded shortly.

Laxus turned to face Abi, "Is this why you were here last night? To strike some deal with Gramps?"

Abi's eyes rolled, "No. I came here last night to get drunk. Your grandfather found me this morning." Laxus raised an eyebrow and his lips curled into a slight smile at the thought of how unpleasant her morning must have felt. Abi stared back at him, unflinching. Then, Laxus pushed off the stone wall and walked towards her; his broad frame towered over her as they stood a few paces apart.

"Does he know I saw you talking to members of Raven Tail this afternoon?"

"Saw?" Abi echoed, her eyes narrowing quickly. "If you _saw_ that conversation, then you would've realized that I didn't want to have it. Alexei had me against the wall." She rubbed her throat, feeling the ghost of a cold metal hand around her neck. Laxus looked at his grandfather to see his reaction; Makarov watched their exchange with a stony expression, his heavyset eyebrows lowered.

"So Black Snake _didn't_ use your power today?"

Abi exhaled through clenched teeth and folded her arms. "He's a mimic mage, Laxus."

"So you interacted with him before the games, _right_? Just like you met Wendy in the palace gardens." Laxus's tone was sharp and accusatory.

Laxus knew at this point she hadn't attacked that little girl, but he kept drawing attention to the coincidences. His message was clear—she was not trustworthy. Abi threw her hands up in the air and groaned in exasperation. "Laxus Dreyer, you are an infernal pest."

"Pot, have you met kettle?" He mocked in reply, snorting in amusement.

Makarov stomped his foot down impatiently. "If you two are done building sexual tension, Abi might want to listen to what I have to say!" His words fluctuated up and down due to inebriation, but nonetheless, Abi felt heat rush to her face. Why did she feel embarrassed? She felt compelled to protest, and muttered to herself: "In order for there to be sexual tension, I think I'd have to find your repulsive grandson attractive."

A muscle in the Dragon Slayer's square jaw twitched. Then, Laxus laughed darkly. "I'm sorry, who tried to kiss who in Edera?" His muscles tightened beneath his coat, like he wanted to move forward again. Abi rolled her eyes.

"Utilizing my sexuality does not mean that I-,"

"-Wendy, Carla, and Porlyusica were kidnapped today," Makarov interjected.

The thief whipped her head around and looked at the guild master with furrowed eyebrows. That got her attention. Was the old man accusing her of playing a role in the kidnapping? Laxus cocked his head to the side and pivoted so he could face his grandfather and watch Abi's reactions carefully. She slipped into a neutral expression: eyebrows lowered and mouth in a straight line.

"Oh?" She tried to keep her voice steady. _Don't jump to conclusions_.

Makarov nodded gravely and leaned against the sidewall, closing his eyes. "Mercenaries hired by Raven Tail tried to break into the infirmary right after you…" He opened his eyes and glanced at Laxus, before failing to whisper the words, "healed Wendy."

The younger Dreyer's thick eyebrows shot up and he tossed Abi a suspicious look. She closed her eyes and pressed her lips together. The thief exhaled slowly though her nose. Drunk Makarov had a big mouth.

The guild master stumbled away from the pub wall, pointing at Abi. "Now, they said they were looking for the 'blonde girl in the infirmary'. And Lucy was there this morning, but I think Ivan was after _you_."

Oxygen seemed to stop working. The world constricted. It made so much sense— Black Snake must have figured it out, or Ivan did after seeing Black Snake's power this morning. The meeting in the hallway today— if Laxus hadn't come along… Agitation made her blood grow hot.

Power began to seep through her pores, leaking into the air and tugging on those around her. It was like a lazy wave of exhaustion washed through the wizards before her, drawing magic energy back towards her. Abi pinched the bridge of her nose and tried to settle her breathing. Makarov flinched as her tendrils of ancient magic energy brushed against him. He seemed to sober up at the demonstration of her power. Laxus narrowed his eyes and watched her carefully.

 _Calm down. Breathe._ Abi opened her eyes and the subtle magic dissipated. She took deep, unsteady breaths and ran a hand over her face. Grimacing, the thief composed herself and turned to face the guild wizards.

She needed to leave the city immediately. _No. You need to stay on task._

Laxus narrowed his eyes, "So _how_ does dear old Dad know who she is?"

Abi ignored the thinly veiled accusation. She focused on Makarov warily. "Raven Tail's a dark guild, right?"

Makarov nodded and scowled, "Legally, not anymore. But Ivan created the guild to destroy Fairy Tail, not to follow Zeref."

Abi snorted. "A lot can change in seven years."

"Pops would never worship other wizards, Klepto. He's completely devoted to himself." The bitterness in Laxus's voice made Abi turn and raise an eyebrow at the Dragon Slayer. There was clearly a history between these Dreyer men. Laxus looked at his grandfather, "'Sides, why are you bringing Zeref into this?"

Makarov ignored his grandson's question. Instead, he focused on the blonde thief beneath the streetlight: "My blasted son craves power. And having your blood would offer an unimaginable advantage. We have to assume his guild knows what you are, Abi."

Her expression darkened at Makarov's words. She folded her arms and said nothing. If Raven Tail knew she was a Praesidio, she had to act fast. Could she wipe out an entire dark guild by herself? It would take a lot. And it couldn't happen in Crocus- at least not without exposing herself in the process _._ She couldn't leave, either. Not yet. _Guess I gotta' play ball._ Makarov looked over her carefully, then glanced at Laxus. His grandson stood with his hands tucked under his jacket and watched the scene quietly. The Dragon Slayer's dark eyes regarded Abi with blatant distrust.

Makarov stroked his mustache and thought for a moment. "Perhaps you should have a guard at all times, until the games are over."

Abi laughed out loud. The guild master's expression remained stony. She paused. "Wait. You're serious?" Her eyebrows furrowed together in concern, "You think I'd accept a _guard?_ Or that they could keep up?"

Makarov smiled at her kindly, like she was a child incapable of understanding. "Do not underestimate Fairy Tail."

Abi's smile remained, but her eyes flashed dangerously. She was tempted to throw the tickets right in Makarov's face. _But the hallway_. She found what she was looking for today, before she was rudely interrupted.

" _You_ gave her access to the games?'" Laxus asked incredulously. A little flash of electricity flashed in his grey eyes, making his irises illuminate in the shadows.

Makarov cleared his throat, "Well… in exchange for some of her services, I granted Abi a VIP pass to the games."

Laxus glared at Abi and sneered, "Do you even know _why_ she wants into the games?"

"Not in the slightest."

"Well that doesn't sound like she has an ulterior motive." Laxus muttered sarcastically.

"I'm _right_ here."

"Are you saying you _don't_ have an ulterior motive to get into the games?" He asked, rounding on her again. Makarov's expression darkened slightly. Abi opened her mouth and closed it. She glared at him and folded her arms. This side of Laxus's mouth curled up into a triumphant smirk. A thought occurred to him. .

"Gramps, if she needs a bodyguard, I'm more than happy to oblige."

Makarov clapped his hands together. "Perfect, my boy!"

Abi's eyes bulged, "Now wait a minute! Don't I get a say in this?"

The guild master chuckled to himself and turned around toward the door. He wobbled unevenly and hiccupped, "Abi, if you refuse protection, you won't be permitted access to the games and I will not extend Fairy Tail's generosity any further." Abi couldn't keep the scowl off her face. He smiled at her kindly, "You've become something of a liability, my dear." He looked at his grandson with stern, drunk eyes, "Laxus: deal with her… according-ing-ly if she breaks the rules."

His grandson nodded, not bothering to hide his smug smirk. This was the perfect way to hinder Abi, and both of them knew it. The thief glared murderously at Makarov's back as he pulled the Bar Sun's door open and wobbled back inside. Laxus wouldn't let her out of his sight just to spite her. Her teal eyes were storming as she brooded beneath the streetlight, as she tried to think of how she could get out of this, without incurring the wrath of Fairy Tail.

Laxus elbowed her and gave her a grin. "Lighten up, Klepto. You're getting a front row seat to the magic event of the century." Then, he leaned in a little closer. "And I'm not gonna let you outta' my sight for a second."

* * *

 **So I have the next few chapters written out, but they are super length-y so it all depends on how I want to space this experience out for you all. Some of the next chapters were my favorite to write, so I hope you all enjoy them! I'm thinking of posting every other day until school starts back up again. Read and review to tell me what you want, and I'll try to incorporate it!**

 **Best,**

 **Stew of Beaf**


	14. Red Skies at Morning

Chapter 14:

Laxus stayed true to his word. He walked Abi back to the Bed and Breakfast in silence, and he reserved the room next door. He told her to go to sleep, threatened extreme bodily pain if she ran away, and slammed the door shut.

Abi laid in bed, seething. She glared up at the ceiling and kept exhaling through her teeth. Fucking Fairy Tail. Her necklace glowed blue with her frustration and illuminated the room. The charm struggled to suppress her powers bubbling with her frustration. She groaned and slammed her fist down next to her. _Why does he make me so mad?_ Abi gnashed her teeth together and continued to get angrier. She couldn't think straight. All she could picture was the smug, insufferable dragon slayer wishing her goodnight.

Abi threw the covers off herself. She began pacing back and forth in the compact room, feeling all her energy threatening to explode out of her skin. _He doesn't get to wish me goodnight. Not after butting into_ my _deal and making_ my _life difficult. That good for nothing, sharp toothed, lightning brained, tall-_

A sharp thud sounded through the wallpaper, the sound of a fist banging against a wall. "Go to bed, Abi."

"Fuck you," Abi muttered under her breath.

"I can hear you walking." The voice growled back. Her hands shook with fury and she let out a huff; her eyes lit up and then died back down. _Laxus, you- you-_

"Insufferable, pig headed, overgrown man child, stupid waste-of-space!" She whisper-yelled at the wall. Abi wrinkled her nose at the wall and grabbed the nearest thing- a pillow- and hurled it at the flowery wallpaper. It made a soft _thunk_ and fell to the ground. Laxus responded with what sounded like a snort of laughter.

Abi sat back down on her bed and glared at the wallpaper with purple and pink flowers. The Praesidio inhaled deeply and exhaled. The necklace stopped glowing and Abi felt herself calm down a bit. She buried her face in her hands and closed her eyes. Everything would be fine.

Abi waited for two hours to make her escape. If Laxus could hear her walk, she had to make sure he was asleep before making any moves. The moon was high in the sky; now was her chance.

The Praesidio slowly crawled out of bed. She moved silently towards the door, and she grabbed her bag of valuables. She placed her hand on the door nob. Abi felt her own wards move as she opened the door with a _creeeaaaak_ , and cringed slightly at the loud noise. The thief paused, listening for any movement down the hall. The townhouse was silent.

Slowly, she stepped into the hallway and turned around to slowly close the door. As she twisted the knob to ensure it didn't _click_ shut, a deep voice rumbled behind her:

"Going somewhere?"

Abi's feet left the ground and her heart felt like it left her body as she let out a yelp of surprise. She spun around, swinging a fist. The dragon slayer caught her wrist in midair and pushed her back against the door, pinning her hand above her head. Abi swung another hand, this one going for the gut, but Laxus caught her arm and pinned it low. The blonde thief bared her teeth and sent a knee up to his groin. Laxus parried her leg with his and pressed his knee between her legs, knocking her off balance and effectively pinning Abi against the door. This exchange happened in a matter of seconds, and the door creaked against their weight.

His grip felt like steel, and Abi looked up to see a very sleepy— and very grumpy— dragon slayer. Laxus's grey eyes were storming, bloodshot, and narrowed. His blonde hair was messed up and pointed in many different directions, like he had just woken up. The dragon slayer bared his canines at her and snarled. Abi glanced down and realized that he was also shirtless, dressed only in his black boxers.

The Praesidio smiled and tried to free her hands. "Laxus," She said in a sing-song-sweet voice, "What are you doing up so late at night?"

The Dragon Slayer snarled in response. Abi swallowed hard and steeled her nerves. She tilted her chin up so her face could be closer to his. The thief lowered her lashes and looked at him with sparkling teal eyes. Laxus blinked for a second.

"You know how I get when you touch me— are you sure you wanna be doing that, Sparkles?" She tugged at his power; Laxus didn't back down. The smell of ozone filled the air. A hallway light bulb exploded. Laxus grinned, and it sent a chill down Abi's spine.

"Go ahead, Abi." He slid her hand that was pinned by her hip up to meet her other, above her head. The Dragon Slayer moved forward and pressed his bare chest against hers. Abi was suddenly very conscious of his lack of clothes, and how his body felt against her loose, inconspicuous black garments. His eyes stared into hers, liquid electricity sparking in their stormy depths. Abi felt her breath catch in her chest for a second and exhaled unevenly. Laxus continued: "Drain me and the deal's over. I get to let loose, gramps gets turn you in to the authorities, and you'll have Fairy Tail on your ass for the rest of your life. And that's only if you escape."

The dark skinned girl glowered at him. So much hatred bubbled up for the man pinning her against the door. She could barely speak. Abi bared her teeth and strained against his grip, standing on her tip-toes to try and get eye level.

"I. Hate. You." She grounded out. The thief could feel his breath on her face, and he let out a puff of amusement.

"Love it when you talk dirty." The dragon slayer grinned and electricity turned his irises gold. Thoughts of the bedroom flashed in her mind. The air grew tight between them; the tension was palpable. Laxus leaned forward, brushing his jaw against her ear. His canines seemed a little bit more elongated as he said in a low voice, "Now, Abi, are you going to behave? Or are you going to make me _tie_ you to that bed?"

Her stomach flipped. She moistened her lips and felt her breath catch again.

"MISTER DREYER, THIS IS HIGHLY INAPPROPRIATE!"

The elderly inn keeper switched on a light, which caused the destroyed lightbulb to spark and jump onto Laxus's bare shoulder. He immediately jumped back from Abi as if she were a live wire. The wizard flushed red and found himself stumbling over a lousy explanation as to what's going on.

Abi slipped back inside her room, deciding it was better to get some rest rather than face the wrath of a sleepy innkeeper.

…

Laxus and Abi did not speak of the night's events. They did not speak a single word to each other. His entourage arrived at the Inn at 7 AM sharp. Bickslow and Evergreen were hungover, and Freed fussed at the Dragon Slayer for not notifying them of his decision to stay at the inn and, "Not letting me make sure this room was properly prepared for you, Laxus!"

Freed brought Laxus fresh clothes as well, and he offered to help the Dragon Slayer change his outfit of a black sleeveless turtleneck and red pants. They left to go upstairs, much to Abi's surprise, and she was left alone with Evergreen and Bickslow. Today, Abi wore her loose black pants with wraps around her knees and wrists as protection. A cropped white tank top clung to her muscular frame and she topped it off with her lacrima-encrusted belt and tools. Underneath the jacket, her knives were cross-strapped at the small of her back. Her champagne blonde hair was tethered into a high ponytail, and the mane's various braids cascaded over her shoulder. The seith mage leered at Abi, and Evergreen glowered at her with blatant distrust. The thief quietly sipped her coffee and pretended to read the newspaper, ignoring the two wizards perched on either arm of her chair.

Evergreen started: "I'd just like to know-,"

"Ever, the master said-,"

"I _know_ what Master Makarov said, Bickslow!" The brown-haired woman snapped. "But I find it hard to believe she's just a job for him. I mean he _always_ tells us about his jobs!" At those words, the Praesidio glanced up at the woman on her left. The thief found herself frozen, unable to look away from the mage. Evergreen trained her glasses on Abi, and her green eyes glowed slightly. _Why do I feel like I should really, really look away?_

"Tell me, 'Abi,'" Evergreen used air quotations around Abi's name. "What is going on with you and Laxus?"

"It's been arranged that he… guards me." The words were hard to get out of her mouth. Abi's tongue felt like cement. She slowly raised her cup up to her lips and took a long sip of coffee to try and wash the bitter words out.

"Hmmm… might explain why he's hangin' around a girls he bones— he never does that," Bickslow said in obvious puzzlement. Evergreen broke eye contact with the thief to glare at her guildmate. Abi felt her face go red and she almost spewed her coffee out. Her head whipped around to the right. "I would _never_ sleep with Laxus!"

She made eye contact with Bickslow through his visor and again, found herself frozen in place. This time, it felt like the wizard was looking into her very soul. Evergreen shook her fist victoriously. "I told you, Bick! Laxus would never be with a girl like you."

Bickslow made a noise in the back of his throat and rolled his eyes at his friends. "You kidding? She's exactly his type, Ever." Abi broke eye contract with the Fairy Tail wizard and felt slightly panicked at their magic type. Bickslow continued to argue with Evergreen, not missing a beat: "I just want to know what she does to keep him around because, like I said-,"

"They're not sleeping together!" Evergreen retorted in a high-strung voice, clearly stressed trying to protect Laxus's 'honor'.

The thief didn't want to make eye contact with either wizard, so she quietly guzzled her coffee and stared at a page of the newspaper, sandwiched by the two bickering members of the Bodyguard Core. How did she get here? Was this worth all the trouble? _Yes._ Her thoughts reaffirmed her position and she gripped the coffee handle a little tighter.

She could do this.

* * *

 **Update, I decided to split the chapters into smaller segments, to add to the dramatic effect. Here's to a short, but unexpected chapter!**

 **R &R **


	15. Games: Day 3 Spectators

Chapter 15

When Laxus was ready, they proceeded to the colosseum. When they reached the Fairy Tail Team B box, Bickslow, Evergreen, and Freed were clearly not happy about separating from Laxus again.

However, Freed extended his hand to Abi in a sign of camaraderie and she shook it cautiously. Immediately, pulled her into a tight hug, which caused her to cry out in discomfort. The wizard whispered into her ear, "Listen well, Abigail." His speech was incredibly formal. Abi furrowed her brow, "My name is-,"

"-I may not know exactly what is going on here, but I do know that if you hurt Laxus, I shall hunt you to the ends of the earth. Nothing stands between me and my vengeance." Freed shook with fervor and gripped her fingers tightly. The thief's hand was still crushed between them, and Abi thumped him hard on the back for release.

"Thanks for the foreplay, Fairy." She pried herself off of him and huffed. The green haired wizard stepped back and saluted the dragon slayer solemnly.

The Praesidio straightened her clothes and looked at Laxus with distaste. He nodded to his friends and said, "See you guys tonight."

Evergreen, Bickslow, and Freed reluctantly slunk towards the rest of the guild. They left the two of them alone at the entrance to the box.

Upon arriving at the box for Fairy Tail Team B, the four other members— Cana, Mirajane, Gajeel, and Juvia— did not seemed surprised at Abi's addition to their box. The white-haired wizard waved at Laxus and smiled brightly at the thief, who nodded back uncomfortably. Abi had read enough _Sorcerer's Weekly_ as a kid to recognize all four of the wizards before her. If she was seven years younger, she might have melted on the spot upon seeing the bad-boy Iron Dragon Slayer Gajeel and the beautiful S-Class Wizard Mirajane.

Flashbacks to her interaction with Erza made her flush slightly with embarrassment. _Not happening today._

"Laxus!" Mira bubbled and ran up to them. She hugged Laxus quickly, and Abi felt something twist in her chest. "So glad you're back, we missed you last night! Master told us you were bringing a friend!" The white-haired woman turned to Abi and flashed a radiant smile. Normally, Abi never felt threatened or insecure around other women— hell, she thought highly of herself and knew her assets. However, looking at Mirajane with her beautiful blue eyes, fair skin, long, glossy white hair, Abi felt a sharp pang of jealousy. The woman might as well be the goddess of love and beauty.

"I'm Mirajane, and you are?"

She sighed through her nose, it seemed everyone knew her name these days. "Abi." _I'll change it after the games, anyway_. Mira smiled widely and clapped her hands. She hugged Abi tightly and the thief was engulfed by warmth and affection. _God, she even smells beautiful._ The Praesidio tried to smother the bitterness bubbling in her stomach.

Gajeel bared his teeth and smiled in his signature grin. He didn't bother walking up to them, but he made sure his voice was loud enough in calling up to them, "You didn't come home last night, Laxus. Now, I see why." The iron dragon slayer overloaded his statement with suggestion, and Laxus rolled his eyes. He walked past Abi and Mira, still hugging, and shrugged beneath his thick coat. "Just doing the old geezer a favor, Gajeel."

"I'll bet you are," the Iron Dragon Slayer snorted with laughter at his own innuendo and looked over Abi carefully with his beady red eyes.

"Gajeel, can you be quiet?" Cana snapped; she stood beside the dark-haired man and rubbed her temples. "Everyone knows about their little sleepover last night, now _shut up_. My head hurts." The hungover wizard sighed and withdrew a flask from her waist, "I need a drink, it's too early for this."

Mira released Abi from her hug to look at the drunk disapprovingly. "Cana, it's _nine_ in the morning."

Cana shrugged and looked up at Mira, "And? I've been up since _seven._ " The white-haired woman sighed and shook her head, but didn't say anything more. She turned to look at the thief, who realized she was staring at Mira the whole time. Abi cleared her throat and said, "Well, nice meeting you."

"Yes! Call me Mira, or Mirajane, whatever you prefer!" Abi was once wrapped up in an—ugh— amazing hug, and then she bounded down the steps of the box to join her other three guildmates.

Wait, three. Laxus, Gajeel, Cana, and now Mira.

Where was…

"So you're with Laxus?" Water surged upwards in front of Abi's face. The water quickly formed into the figure of a blue haired girl pointing a finger at the thief. Juvia, the water mage. "But are you single?"

The blonde woman folded her arms and didn't take a step back. "Yes."

Julia's blue eyes widened, and she put her hands on her hips, "Do you plan on seducing any other members of Fairy Tail, Abi?"

Abi looked at the ceiling and sucked in an even breath. Good lord, how many people were going to think she and Laxus were sleeping together? She grit her teeth and smiled sweetly at Juvia, who was eyeing her with blatant suspicion and jealousy.

"Oh, I plan on sleeping with _every single member_ of Fairy Tail, man, woman, or child." Gajeel let out a snort of laughter and Abi winked at the blue haired woman. "And you're at the top of my list, sweetheart." Juvia's mouth dropped open and she flushed red. The gears in her head seemed to be spinning off their axels, and she pretty much blew steam out of her ears. Abi slipped past her and walked to the front of the box, putting distance between herself and the other members of Fairy Tail. Abi stood on the opposite corner of the balcony to the wizards, trying to get as much distance as possible between them.

"You won't have me and you _will not_ have my darling Gray!" Juvia burst out, incredibly enraged. Abi knit her brows in confusion and banged her head against the railing. Sarcasm clearly fell short among some. Just please, lord, let the games be exciting enough that she could slip away.

The box offered a grand view of the arena, barely 12 feet above the sand floor. It was probably a little over 12 feet wide, and had three rows of seats, two of which were under the overhang. There was enough space for Abi to sit in the corner opposite of the five other wizards and not quite hear them speak.

Laxus engaged in small conversation with Mira and Gajeel, with Cana moaning under her breath about the noise. Juvia sat a few seats away from Abi and stared at her nonstop.

Down below, the first event was announced. _Please offer, Laxus._

Cana volunteered. She leaped off the side of the railing and landed down in the arena.

The tower of Pandemonium formed.

Laxus continued his conversation with Mira, occasionally cracking a smile and joking back and forth. Abi felt herself staring, and she felt that tightness in her chest continue to constrict. When she accidentally caught Laxus's eye, she looked out at the stadium, the pit, the competitors, the audience- anything but the broad-shouldered wizard opposite her. She'd find herself looking again. Why didn't they ever talk like that? _Well, we've never actually had a conversation,_ Abi realized. Then she remembered that it was _Laxus_. They've never had a normal interaction. The dragon slayer always surprised her, always put her on edge- she couldn't think straight around him. Her defenses went straight up and fell all at once.

That was precisely why Abi told Makarov she _didn't_ want anyone to know about her deal. Healing Wendy in exchange for access to the games. Laxus was never going to let her out of his sight now. _Maybe he'll die in the match later today._ The thought was a comfort.

Abi found herself engrossed in the games as Erza stepped up to the plate and challenged the 100 monsters. All of Fairy Tail held their breath as she battled her way through and ultimately came out on top. Everyone cheered as their guild mate emerged victorious, clutching her swords.

Mira cheered with excitement; Gajeel grinned ear to ear. "That's how it's done in this guild," he muttered, clenching a fist victoriously. Juvia wiped a tear away and murmured, "Erza, I forgive you for coming onto Gray."

Laxus just folded his arms and smiled slightly. "Never doubted her."

Maybe now was her time to slip away. She stood up and slipped back towards the exit. She made it to the entrance to the box when someone cleared their throat directly behind her.

"Going somewhere, Klepto?"

Abi turned around with a smile and took a step backwards. Laxus stood a few feet away, arms covered beneath his thick black coat. "Can't a girl go to the bathroom?"

"Sure, but you're not."

"Excuse me?" She folded her arms and took a step back.

"Don't play coy. You know you're lying." He advanced one step.

Abi folded her arms and took another step backwards. "Are you telling me about my _own body?_ Mr. Lie Detector, tell me, just _how_ do you know when I'm lying?"

Laxus rolled his eyes and closed the gap between them. "You do realize I'm like a human polygraph, right?" He leaned in a little closer, "Your pulse elevates basically _every_ _time_ you speak to me."

Abi snapped, "It does not!" The other three members of Fairy Tail turned around to look at them in confusion.

The thief felt her cheeks grow hot in anger and… embarrassment? That couldn't be right. The corners of Laxus's mouth curved upwards knowingly, and he cocked his head to the side, "See that… that definitely felt like a _lie_ , Abi."

She glared venomously at the smug bastard. He smirked. Abi had never felt so much hatred for a man in her life. The thief balled her fists together and imagined draining every ounce of power from his muscular body. She wanted to hear him plead her for mercy, to see fear replace that smug, sexy-

 _Sexy?_ Where did that thought come from? Abi shuddered and grit her teeth. This was a psychopath with brutish tendencies and control issues. Not sexy. Definitely not sexy. Laxus and sex were two words that never went together. Nope, not at-

He turned around. "Now, come on. Don't cause a scene. Let's watch the rest of the games together, like the couple everyone thinks we are."

Abi had to admit it. A temporary girlfriend, or whatever, was a better cover than body-guard and it raised less questions. Still, standing between the balcony's side railing and Laxus's arm was not very comfortable, or comforting. Although, a very strange part of her enjoyed the occasional glances Mira sent their way. _Ha._

The games had switched to a much less exciting event- measuring each competitor's magic capabilities. The thief rested her head in her hand and sighed in boredom. Her eyes scanned the arena, knowing this was all pointless. If it weren't for this Dragon Slayer, she would be exploring her new discovery in the halls of the colosseum.

Abi glanced up at Laxus, who stared straight ahead, purposefully ignoring her. Her eyes traced over his jawline and down to his large, black coat draped over his shoulders. His powerful arms crossed in front of his chest, beneath the jacket. How it never fell off was a mystery to Abi. The Dragon Slayer's neck and shoulders flexed in reaction to something down below; then, he relaxed his tense muscles. Her hands tingled as she remembered the feel of his skin and the raw, wild energy of his power. His hard, corded muscles moved beneath the skin, and Abi found herself swallowing hard. The tight black shirt did sinful things to his torso. Her eyes detached from the Dragon Slayer's chiseled body and focused on the games before the man could catch her eye again.

"Next up is Obra of Raven Tail!" Abi glanced down at the large blue man walking toward the Magic Power Finder, or MPF. The crowd quieted in anticipation of this unknown wizard's display of power. Obra swept his dark cloak to the side, and a small black, catlike animal shot out towards the MPF. The black animal collided with the lacrima, then twisted and landed on the ground nimbly. It had a small cape around it's back, and it's barbed tail swished upward like a cat.

"Obra clocks in at… 4 points?"

Abi clamped her hand down on the stone. Laxus glanced over at her. The Praesidio became very, very still. Her eyes remained fixated on the small black animal running back to the blue man. "He's the one."

"The one?" The dragon slayer followed her gaze, watching as the animal jumped onto the blue man's belly and crawled under the cover of the cape. Laxus furrowed his brow. "How do you know?"

Abi pursed her lips and closed her eyes, shaking her head lightly. "It's this feeling- it's like…" She turned open her hands and looked down at them, "It's familiar. I can't explain it. But if anyone attacked Wendy and Lucy, it's him. I'm certain of it."

The Dragon Slayer trained his eyes on the blue man, then glanced at Abi out of the corner of his eye. He didn't feel the thief's pulse increase. A hostile, almost animalistic gleam came over her- she remained perfectly still, like a predator about to pounce. Her eyes glowed slightly as she stared at the blue wizard. _She's serious_. For some reason, Laxus found himself believing in her.

"Unfortunately, there are no do-overs." Mato the pumpkin announced. "It looks like Milliana is in the lead with 365 points!"

Abi nudged Laxus and said severely in a low voice, "I need to get to the Raven Tail box. Now."

"Yeah, okay." He snorted in contempt and turned away from Abi. The thief looked at him angrily and punched the Dragon Slayer's shoulder. Laxus ignored her and focused on the games below. Abi knew she couldn't leave the box without his permission, so she sunk down and glared at the insufferable man. "Asshole." She muttered.

Down below, Milliana let out a yowl of excitement at her lead. She grabbed Mato's hand, and shook it excitedly. However, Orga of Sabertooth stepped forward and grinned at the lacrima cameras. "I'm about to change that," He told the audience.

The stadium roared in excitement as the large, tattooed man stepped in front of the Magic Power Finder.

The Sabertooth wizard sent bolts of black electricity racing toward the lacrima. His magic energy assaulted everyone in the crowd, and Abi felt herself dig her nails into the stone at the sensation of Orga's power. While Laxus's magic was feral, this man's lightning magic was cold and controlled. 3825 MPF— was Laxus's power that strong? Abi looked up at the blonde man beside her, and a feral grin spread across the Dragon Slayer's face at the display of lightning. He licked his lips, as if tasting the magic energy. "Interesting," he murmured.

"You're concentrating on that wizard _awfully_ hard," Abi purred next to the Dragon Slayer's ear. She pressed her body against his side. Laxus forced himself to remain collected, and cooly turned his head to look down at the insufferable blonde woman. He pulled his lips apart to form a sickeningly sweet smile. Abi grimaced only slightly.

"Oh, I'm just imagining you as the lacrima and sending thousands of lighting volts to fry your ass." Gajeel looked over at them with a startled expression. Abi took a step back from Laxus and winked.

"Didn't know you spend so much time thinking 'bout my ass, Sparkles." Abi placed a hand on his forearm and mirrored his fake smile, "I'm flattered."

Laxus's smile slipped and he found himself baring his teeth at the thief. "Don't be. I spend most of my time thinking about things I don't like. It's a nasty habit."

Abi rolled her eyes and sneered at him.

Jura the Wizard Saint wowed the crowd next with his awesome display of power. He beat Orga's points by racking up 8544 points on the MPF. The stadium was quiet in awe of his raw power.

However, Cana was last. She was completely wasted as she stumbled up to the MPF. Fairy Tail shifted nervously in their boxes.

Suddenly, Cana stripped down to her jacket and revealed a glowing red tattoo on her forearm. Laxus's eyes widened, "Fairy Glitter?" His eyes went to his grandfather across the stadium, who looked equally stunned as he stared at an empty seat next to him. Abi narrowed her eyes, but quickly reverted her attention back to the arena.

The earth trembled as Cana grinned, "Alright, I'm gonna hit you hard." She began to cast the spell. Abi gripped the box's railing as powerful magic energy ripped through her. It channeled straight to the MPF. Pure light enveloped the stadium as the ancient spell hit the lacrima. When the dust cleared, the incredible score of 9999 points registered above the Magic Power Finder. Abi's jaw dropped. Never, in her life had she encountered such a powerful spell.

Laxus smiled genuinely as he looked at his victorious guildmate. Fairy Tail rejoiced as they claimed the top two spots for the morning's events.

After a brief lunch, the afternoon battles commenced. Laxus never let Abi out of his sight, and together they watched the various guilds fight. The thief continued to become antsy as she wondered when she would have an opportunity to leave. Any attempt at conversation and Laxus ignored her; any attempt to leave and he cornered her. Rufus of Sabertooth defeated Eve of Blue Pegasus and the third match was announced.

"Laxus of Fairy Tail versus Alexei of Raven Tail!"

Abi's heart soared. _Yes._ She could barely keep a smile off her face as she turned to look up at the Dragon Slayer triumphantly. Laxus straightened and glared across the arena at his father. It was time to go out. He turned to Gajeel and motioned with his thumb to Abi, "Don't let her leave."

The dark haired dragon slayer nodded with a grin. Abi scowled stared straight ahead. "I'm not cheering for you, you overgrown bug zapper."

The Dragon Slayer rolled his eyes, "Yeah, yeah. Whatever, klepto."

The match long and brutal. For some reason, Abi felt her heart in her throat as she watched Laxus get pummeled by Alexei. It didn't seem real to see her tormenter thrown around like a ragdoll. A part of her rejoiced in seeing him finally lose, but a different, deep part of Abi wanted to seem him succeed. When Abi had finally decided that she was cheering against Laxus, an illusion seemed to break across the stadium.

Instead of Alexei standing over a broken Dragon Slayer, Laxus was surrounded by a defeated Raven Tail. Abi gasped as she looked at Laxus. He was breathing hard, bruised, and bloody. He glared warily at his father, who was slumped against the broken arena wall. Abi couldn't tell what was going on in the Dragon Slayer's mind, but she found herself letting loose a cheer as Fairy Tail erupted into gleeful howls.

As Magic Counsel soldiers rushed the field to arrest Raven Tail, Laxus walked off towards the tunnel. Fairy Tail Team B surged upward and rushed out of the box to congratulate their guildmates. Gajeel didn't give Abi a second thought as she allowed herself to get lost in the crowd. Within moments, she slipped away from Fairy Tail and into the shadows.

* * *

 **The next chapter is probably one of my favorites to write! Get excited, because this is the last calm chapter for a while. We are entering the third quarter where secrets will be revealed, alliances will be formed, and relationships broken (or resolved!)!**

 **R &R :)**


	16. Hot Springs

Chapter 16:

Laxus slunk deeper into the hot spring, feeling his knotted muscles begin to loosen. He rubbed the back of his neck and leaned his head against the back of the cool, wet stone. He sighed through his nose. After today's events, he needed some alone time. The Dragon Slayer felt jumbled up inside— proud of his victory for Fairy Tail, of beating his father, but also torn by guilt for imprisoning Ivan. His body took a hard hit or two battling his father. Two large purple bruises blossomed on his chest and left forearm. But most concerning was his right arm, where he smacked Obra during the fight with Raven Tail.

He raised his right arm and opened and closed his fist, trying to feel a spark. Nothing came off of his fingertips- no magic energy flowed past his shoulder. Laxus furrowed his brow and tried to push lightning out of his hand- to overcome the blockade in his arm. The muscles felt sore, like his magic energy was simply too tired to make it past his bicep. Laxus clenched a fist and hit it against the stone in frustration. Looks like Obra _was_ the one to attack Wendy and Lucy, but damn his power felt similar to Abi.

Whatever. Not his concern right now. He closed his eyes and submerged underwater.

The hot water swirled around him, buffering all other outside noises. In the pool, the only thing Laxus could hear were his thoughts. And they were racing after today's events. It was easy to look at things on the surface, to disregard his father as a traitor to Fairy Tail and feel satisfied in beating him. A part of Laxus felt a perverse joy in humiliating his father after everything that man put him through. His chest burned with anger and the lacrima inside him pulsed at the very thought of his old man. Yet, sadness and guilt also accompanied those feelings of anger. Understanding, even. A part of him wanted to punish his father further- a different part wanted to save him.

Ivan's words still bothered him. " _The Lumen Histiore is one of Fairy Tail's darkest secrets. Someday you're going to learn that first hand… and then you'll know what your family really is."_

Laxus meant what he said— Fairy Tail had become his family over blood. But he wondered just what truly happened between Gramps and his father… was this the incriminating information? In any case, Laxus had to trust his grandfather and the First Master. According to the Mavis, the Lumen Histoire wasn't evil. He had to believe them.

Vibrations above the surface made Laxus open his eyes underwater. He surfaced and let out a deep exhale. The dragon slayer ran a hand through the wet hair on his face and plastered it back out of his eyes as he scanned the room. The steam was heavy in the underground hotsprings, but it seemed the only thing that opened and closed was the door.

Laxus sniffed and only picked up a faint trace of scent before it disappeared. Probably just his imagination. The Dragon Slayer lowered his head against the cool stone and felt the water droplets slide off his head onto the floor. It made a soft _pitter-patter_ sound. He focused on the tracking spell Freed casted earlier and felt that Abi was far away. Good. That woman was bad for his blood pressure.

But why was she here? Abi was still a problem, but it appeared she was playing her own game, independent of his father. It was not a comforting thought. Maybe she was just a thief with some niche magic. A moment when he faced his father flashed in his mind.

" _Since you've been askin' me so many questions, Pops, I got one if my own. What's your deal with Abi?" Obra's pet jerked his head up at the mention of the thief's name. Laxus narrowed his eyes. However, Ivan genuinely laughed, "Do you mean that little Praesidio girl? Don't tell me you care for her. I took you for misguided, Laxus, not a fool. Her reasons for being here are unknown to me… Blood and self above all else— that's her kind's code. Blood and self."_

What was a Praesidio, anyway? Abi could absorb magic and, in turn, her blood was concentrated magic. She emitted a little amount magic energy, and for the most part wasn't morally awful. Yet, the thief was clearly running from someone. And everyone kept acting like whatever she was, was some big deal. Why? For a temporary power-up?

 _It doesn't matter_ , Laxus thought to himself, _she's not my problem._ He rubbed his eyes and grimaced. The moment when they first escaped the palace in Edera flashed in his mind. The Dragon Slayer wondered—not the first time—how the night could have gone differently. He imagined feeling her lithe body pressed against his— of tasting her on his lips. He could almost smell her right now- a soft scent of spices, sweat, and Abi drifting across his tongue.

The sound of something sliding into the water made his eyes snap open. Laxus raised his head off the stone; his eyes glowed with electricity, bracing for a fight. What he saw made him nearly groan aloud.

Was this real?

Abi sat directly across from him, mist swirling up around her body. The room was hot enough they could not see each other well, but it was clear she was equally naked as he. This was the first time he had ever seen her hair down—although mane might have been the better word to describe her thick blonde tresses. Her hair was brushed back from her face and cascaded behind her shoulders, like she had just taken a shower. Her pale blonde hair in front covered her very topless breasts, and she smiled when they made eye contact. Her copper skin had a dewy sheen over it.

Abi smiled; she knew exactly the effect she was having on him.

"Hi." She purred. His nostrils flared. He tried to cool the electricity cackling in his veins- water was a dangerous place to be with him. Especially her. Especially now. Abi put her arms up on the pool edge, keeping her chest barely below water. The dragon slayer grunted and folded his arms.

"Didn't see you after my match." He glared, trying to gain some footing in this dynamic. Abi pulled a strand of hair over her shoulder and twirled it around a finger. "Thought I'd wait to congratulate the champion 'til he was alone."

 _Annddd there it is._ No way she'd come on so strong without an ulterior motive. Laxus lowered his eyebrows and stared pointedly at her face. He could dream about her innuendo later. "Sure. Why are you really here, Abi?"

She tossed the strands of hair aside and shrugged sinfully. It took all his willpower to not look down.

"I went to go see Raven Tail in jail."

The Dragon Slayer tried to keep his tone casual. "Oh?"

"Mm-hmm," She nodded, then she frowned. The thief folded her arms and pouted. "Obra was completely unresponsive, and your father made it seem like I was missing something very obvious."

Abi paused, but he remained silent. She sighed and continued, "What happened under Ivan's illusion? I need you to tell me everything about your interaction with Obra."

Laxus shrugged, and said, "I'll tell you… if you tell me what you were doing underground today."

Surprise graced Abi's face for a brief moment, and then her eyebrows seamlessly arched upward. She smirked. She held up a hand; it lacked the usual charm ring. "It took me a while to figure out your boyfriend put a tracking spell on my ring this morning. Smart. You've got a very impressive Runes Mage for a friend."

The Dragon slayer shrugged again, not rising to her dig. He had enough of fighting today. "I figured you would've sensed it if Freed put it on your clothes."

"You figured right." Unease flickered in Abi's eyes. _Yeah, I'm learning how you operate._ She was silent for a few moments.

"You remember how Ximus wanted to find the morphos lacrima?"

Laxus' expression sharpened in interest, like a cat watching a bird through a window. The thief swallowed and continued slowly, "The Royal Advisor, Darton, commissioned every royal family to quietly gather them over the past seven years. Ximus was acting on his orders. The morphos lacrimas…" She paused, choosing her words carefully. "…I think they're how the Magic Games are able to operate with so much power." _Like summoning Pandemonium today._

He nodded, "Makes sense, but what's that got to do with you?"

"The energy is being focused in the underground tunnels, specifically beneath the castle. It's super faint and comes and goes, but I can feel his- it's power." Laxus's eyes narrowed. ' _His?'_ Abi averted her eyes quickly. "Today, I found where they're keeping _seven_ morphos lacrimas."

That got his attention. Realization dawned on Laxus's face. "You're going to steal the thing powering the magic games?"

Abi scowled, "Well, when you put it like that…" She put up her hands. "Look, I'm not the Grinch Who Stole Christmas, but I have a right to those lacrimas. More than the King does."

C learly, her words were not persuading Laxus. He raised his eyebrows. She put up her hand. "Let me try again. Look, the kingdom is stealing magic power from everyone in the Games. There's almost a million people here. There's no way that amount of magic energy only goes towards Pandemonium. They're using the energy to power something else... like a _weapon_."

The Dragon Slayer snorted and rested his arms against the pools' edge. "All I'm hearing is that you— a kleptomaniac— are going to steal an object that has amassed seven years of magic energy from millions of people." He snorted. "Yeah, what could go wrong?"

Abi glared and folded her arms. She pressed her lips together and remained silent. Laxus flexed his shoulders and sat up a little higher in the pool. Her eyes flicked down to his tattoo and back up again. The Dragon Slayer started connecting some dots.

"You know, I've heard that the Grand Magic Games releases a power signature shockingly similar to Zeref. So, there's clearly something going on _beyond_ your adorable little morphos lacrima theory, and it ties to Zeref."

All the color drained from Abi's face at the mention of the ancient wizard. She still said nothing. The dragon slayer leaned forward and tilted his head to the side. "You know something, don't you?"

Her eyes regarded him cooly and an arrogant look came over her, "I know a lot of things, Sparkles. But I told you _what_ I was doing underground, so it's time for you to pay up."

Laxus scowled. "Fine."

He pulled his shoulders back a bit and couldn't stop the bitterness coming out of his voice. It still stung realizing that his hunch of Abi and his father's alliance was wrong. "My pops was here for Fairy Tail. He knew you were a Praesidio but said he didn't need you. Then Obra went to drain me, but I smacked him. And that was that. Crumpled over until the guards took 'em away. Then, his little pet ran off."

Abi's brow furrowed. "His little pet..?" Laxus placed his left hand on his right bicep and opened and closed the hand, trying to summon any type of magic energy through it. The arm felt numb, like it had fallen asleep. Pins and needles pricked at his shoulder socket; the lightning tried to— unsuccessfully— spread down his arm. He grit his teeth and growled beneath his breath.

Abi was suddenly sitting beside Laxus, laying her fingertips lightly over the hand on his arm. "What happened here?"

A little coil of energy sparked from where she touched him, and Laxus turned to look down at her in surprise. He cleared his throat, "It's where I hit Obra."

The thief narrowed her eyes and put her other hand atop his right wrist. She turned open his hand and traced her fingers over his palm. The sensation tickled and Laxus frowned, suppressing his internal discomfort as Abi traced over a callous.

"Strange…" She mused, and sat back. The blonde woman knit her eyebrows together and stared at his arm; he could almost see the wheels turning in her brain. Laxus started to pull his hand back, and Abi's teal eyes flashed up at him in annoyance. She moved with him and her side now pressed into his as she examined her arm. Laxus was suddenly _very_ aware of how close she was to him. And how naked. He tried to cool his thoughts and exhaled through his nose. Then— _fuck_ — Abi traced the contours of his forearm with her fingers. The Dragon Slayer could feel the little tendrils of her magic probing his skin from her hand, like she was scanning for any magic energy.

Abi made her way up his arm, till she reached his shoulder. His magic surged at his socket, like her hand attracted the energy like a magnet. Then, she moved past his shoulder, onto his pectoral and placed her palm on his tattoo. The water on her palm sizzled at her touch and— before Laxus could stop it—electricity jumped onto her hand. It shocked her and she sucked in a breath, pulling her hand back in surprise.

"Sorry," He muttered and leaned away from her. Abi furrowed her brow and studied her palm, which was reddening from the shock.

"Your magic energy isn't like everyone else's."

Laxus shrugged. He could feel her smooth body with the motion. He didn't scoot away. "It's Dragon Slayer magic."

"No shit, I can recognize Dragon Slayer magic. It's volatile and old, but yours is… weird. I can't put my finger on it. It's old, but it isn't."

"Why do you need to know?"

"Well, if you want me to repair your arm… I need to understand your magic."

Laxus pulled his arms across his chest, away from her. "If I needed your help, I would have asked, Klepto."

Abi arched an eyebrow and folded her arms, inadvertently creating cleavage, which drew the blonde man's eye. Laxus sighed before he could control his mouth and said, "I was a pretty weak kid, so my father forced a lacrima down my throat to make me stronger. That's what makes me a Dragon Slayer."

Abi opened her mouth, then closed it. The Dragon Slayer averted his eyes and looked at the far stone wall- he didn't want to see her pity.

"That's fucked up."

Laxus shrugged and stared at the stone through the steam. "Not a big deal. I'm stronger than him now, and everyone knows it after today."

"Doesn't make it suck any less." Laxus heard Abi open and close her mouth again, hesitating before stating: "When I was a kid, my dad always hired mercenaries to go after me to see if I could survive. He'd constantly put me in situations where I had to put myself first. His training made me strong, but it doesn't make the emotional damage any easier."

Laxus's looked at Abi in surprise. She didn't meet his gaze; her eyes remained trained on his arm.

"I can fix your arm, but Obra's magic… it's like mine, but not. It's more complex."

The Dragon Slayer narrowed his eyes, "Think he's a Praesidio?"

Abi didn't answer. She just studied Laxus for a moment; he found her calculating gaze unsettling. She put her hands back on Laxus's arm and placed his palm on her collarbone, just beneath the leather-bound teal amulet on her neck. His thumb went under the amulet, and as soon as the charm left her skin, a spark jumped between the pad of his finger and her wet skin. She lightly pressed her fingertips against the teal charm and closed her eyes.

The water in their pool started bubbling. The hot spring steam cleared around her and stones began to tremble. Suddenly, the leather corded necklace on her clavicle glowed brightly, and invisible, bottomless tendrils of energy curled around Abi. Every time Laxus had interacted with this woman before, he couldn't feel any magic pressure.

This was different.

This was ancient power.

It wasn't overpowering like Natsu's; it was all-consuming in the most literal sense. Laxus tried to pull away, but Abi kept his hand secure on her neck; her grip was ironclad. Pins and needles trickled through his arm- the sensation burning and uncomfortable. Laxus grimaced and let out a low growl.

A dark power emanated from Abi, seeming to deafen everything around her. The magic power was absorbing all energy and sounds. The veins on her hands began pop out and glow white. It was like an ancient chasm opened up and sucked all life inside Abi's skin. _Was this her true magic power_? Laxus felt his electricity try and pull out of his pores, towards her. Abi willed the magic to stay beneath his skin and travel, slowly, down his right arm. Inch by inch, a pins-and-needles sensation filled his arm as his power returned. He grit his teeth and clenched his other hand tightly. This was not a pleasant sensation.

As Abi reached his hand, she turned his palm over to face the ceiling. The remnants of Obra's magic were now entirely contained in his hand. Laxus furrowed his brow in discomfort as Abi placed her hand over his palm and slowly began to raise her hand. She slowly pulled the nullifying magic out of his skin. It was like pulling needles out of his pores. The dark magic swirled in a contained ball in Abi's hand, and the Dragon Slayer gasped as the full feeling of magic returned to his entire arm.

The Praesidio held the magic in her hands and opened her eyes. Her irises were completely absorbed by her magic energy. As Obra's magic energy began to dissipate into the air, Abi's teal eyes also emerged slowly. The intense, dark energy disappeared.

Sound returned, and they were once again surrounded by the quiet noises of water lapping against stone. Laxus exhaled; he flexed and clenched his fist before looking at Abi. His arm felt back to normal, but what just happened?

Abi remained transfixed on the spot where Obra's magic power was once coiled. Laxus furrowed his brow, and waited for her to snap out of it. She didn't, so he put his large hand over hers. Abi lurched at the contact and jerked her head up in surprise.

"That was…" Laxus didn't know what to say.

"Some parlor trick, huh?" She said with a nervous smile. _This is your magic,_ he realized _._ Laxus remembered the first time she displayed magic in Edera. He couldn't feel a shift in magic at all; it a was silent and subdued use of magic energy. This was different. _Abi touched her amulet; it must mask her power_. The Praesidio pulled her hands away from him; she scanned the eyes were skittish, like she seemed liable to bolt at any movement.

For some reason, Laxus found himself wanting her to stay. He ran a hand through his hair and grimaced. Clearly, she needed to settle down; he was an awful person at comforting people. The only thing that came to mind:

"Thanks, Abi."

She flinched and looked at Laxus in surprise. The panic started to fade in her eyes and she took a few, deep steadying breaths. Abi smoothed her pale blonde hair over a couple times and looked down. "Sorry, I don't ever do that sort of thing."

"What? Is using your powers something Praesidios can't do?"

Abi frowned and grew very still. Laxus didn't think much of it. He sunk lower in the water and stared at the wooden beams above; the dragon slayer tried to think of something to comfort the woman. Suddenly, Laxus found the Praesidio pinning him against the hot springs' edge with her hand around his throat, the other digging into his shoulder. Her eyes blazed gold with power and she bared her teeth at him. Laxus's eyes widened in surprise and he grabbed her thighs, which straddled him. Gods, she was so naked.

"I should kill you right now. You know far too much."

He snarled at Abi and kept his magic under control, "You are the most confusing woman I have ever met."

If he shocked her in this water, she would absolutely die. She must have a death wish. Her fingernails dug into the Dragon Slayer's throat a little more. Laxus felt his canines elongate in his mouth and he struggled to repress his instincts. But Abi wasn't using her powers, either. Laxus found himself staring at the teal amulet and then looked back up at her enraged face.

"Abi," Laxus ground out between his teeth, "What the hell are you doing?"

The Praesidio's eyes were conflicted. She didn't really appear to want to hurt him, but it was also clear that Abi had no idea how to back off. Her hand loosened around his throat and moved to press against his chest.

"Laxus, I…" Her other hand moved up and touched his lightning shaped scar lightly. A spark jumped between his skin and the pad of her finger. Something shifted in her eyes—it wasn't animosity or distrust. The air grew heavy between them, and he felt a pull towards her. As if his body had a mind of its own, Laxus found his hands starting to slide up the sides of her long, smooth thighs. Abi's deep teal eyes looked into his. She moistened her lips again and leaned forward, tilting her head to the side.

"You, Dragon Slayer, make me _very_ irrational," Abi breathed against his lips. Laxus felt himself smile, despite himself. He swiped his tongue across his bottom lip. Finally, something they could agree on.

"Likewise, kepto."

He parted his mouth and pulled Abi closer. Her eyelids fluttered shut and she smiled slightly as she moved forward to kiss him.

Suddenly, the thief jerked to the left. Laxus found himself with a mouthful of hair, holding a trembling woman in his arms. Abi gasped for breath loudly next to his ear, her entire body tense. Her nails bit into his shoulder and her muscles spasmed. Laxus tensed, remembering what happened outside the gates of Edera. However, she wasn't sucking his magic energy this time… but _something_ was happening.

"Abi?" His voice was calm as alarm coursed through him. Did he just electrocute her? She pushed away from him, her coppery skin slick from water. The thief scrambled off of him and out of the hot spring. "I have to go," she managed to blurt out. The blonde woman grabbed her towel and pulled it around her body.

"Meet me at the arena tomorrow— noon!" Abi told him as she ran out of the room, leaving Laxus utterly perplexed. The Dragon Slayer surged up out of the pool, then stopped. It would not look good for Laxus to pursue a panicked naked woman out of a hot spring. Besides, Abi wouldn't tell him what was going on, either way.

And so, an angry, confused, and sexually frustrated Dragon Slayer sighed through his teeth and slipped underwater.

* * *

 **Anndddd it won't be that easy, Laxus.**

 **So, Abi's motive/ reason for the games has been revealed, _and_ she and Laxus almost gave in to sexual tension. But it won't be that easy, and it will not be smooth sailing for their relationship in the next few chapters. **

**More truths and lies will be revealed. Stay tuned and get excited!**

 **R &R**


	17. Pure Evil

Chapter 17

Walking out of the Hot Springs, a familiar scent passed across his nose. He froze as he finished buttoning the last button on his dark silk shirt. Laxus glanced up at the rooftops to see Jellal pacing about the building.

Interesting.

In a flash, Laxus transported himself to the top of the roof, a couple feet behind the disgraced wizard-saint.

"Nice night," The blonde man groused, finding himself in a foul humor.

"Laxus." The masked mage turned around and folded his arms. "To what do I owe the pleasure?"

The Dragon Slayer shrugged. "Missed you at the games today."

"Yes, well… I appeared at the end. Sorry to have missed your fight."

A silence lapsed between them. Jellal paced around the rooftop, concentrated on something. Laxus grit his teeth and felt the need to break the tension.

"So… are you meeting Erza here?" Laxus swore he could see Jellal flush red beneath his mask. _Too easy_ he thought with a grin. The wizard straightened his shirt and let out a small huff.

"N-no."

"Then _what_ are you doing at the bath house?" Jellal seemed even more flustered at the insinuation that he was meeting Erza at the bathhouse— a location notorious for sexual encounters. The Dragon Slayer flashed a grin as he watched the blue haired man straighten his coat and exhale in a huff.

"There were _two_ similar disruptions of strange magic energy tonight— very similar to Zeref. The first one was here." Jellal motioned to the bathhouse. Laxus furrowed his brow. _Strange magic energy…?_ Abi preforming magic on his arm flashed before the Dragon Slayer's eyes. _Was that magic actually connected to her? And if so, what does that mean? For us—I mean me and for her?_ Jellal jostled Laxus out of his thoughts. "But you didn't interrupt my investigation just to catch up."

Laxus felt his jaw flex in annoyance and he forced a shrug beneath his coat. Jellal stared down at the street below him, clearly preoccupied with the magic signatures. Laxus sighed through his nose. His thoughts kept swirling, but he needed to figure out a few things… How to phrase this, without revealing his hand? _Ah, fuck it_.

"What can you tell me about the word 'Praesidio'?"

Jellal looked over at him, his eyes flashing with alarm and interest. "I haven't heard that word in a long time. Where did you…?"

The Dragon Slayer folded his arms, "I read it in a book somewhere. Humor me, loverboy." Jellal flashed Laxus a dark look and walked over to the opposite side of the building. He looked over the edge, clearly scanning for something.

"I've only ever read about them in _ancient occult books_." The wizard glanced over his shoulder to look at the Dragon Slayer pointedly. His tone suggested that there was no possibility of Laxus casually reading it somewhere. Still, the blue haired wizard continued, "The word itself means 'guard' or 'protection'. They're one of Zeref's first attempts at truly twisting humanity and magic together. They're by no means as strong as his other creations, but the original seven Praesidio to served as his personal guard until he made better monsters."

Laxus's face tightened, and Jellal watched his expressions carefully. "Do you think it may have something to do with the games?"

The Dragon Slayer shrugged his massive shoulders and didn't add anything, trying to process the thoughts beginning to swirl in his brain.

"If they _weren't_ extinct, the Games would be a perfect place for them." Jellal continued running his hands over the bricks, scanning for something. Laxus's eyes flicked up cautiously. "What do you mean, 'perfect place?'"

"Well, the Praesidios grow stronger through absorbing other sources of magic. A massive, public source of wizards with large displays of magic energy would allow them to quietly gain power just through observing the matches."

If Laxus remembered correctly, Abi had to touch magic to absorb it. "How's that possible?"

Jellal sighed, clearly growing tired of the conversation. He misinterpreted what Laxus was asking and continued to explain his knowledge about the species: "You and I possess a place to magic energy that we fill up- our origin of magic. If I am correct, Zeref twisted their origins, so instead of one large container, _every_ blood cell is a tiny container. It allows them to absorb ether-nano at a higher rate, and even drain it from other wizard's spells and origins."

Laxus narrowed his eyes. Not the information he was after, but still interesting nonetheless. "Can't you overwhelm them with magic?"

Jellal nodded, "In theory, yes. But there's no guarantee because their blood absorbs magic energy, and the more power they encounter, the greater their capacity for absorption— as long as they don't die from consuming too much at once. With Praesidios, the stronger the magic, the stronger they become." The blue haired mage looked at Laxus with an unreadable expression. He paused for a moment, then continued to speak with suspicion, "However, since they are one of Zeref's creations, I would sense them. The Praesidios _are_ extinct."

Laxus's thoughts were reeling. So many things made sense now. But the Dragon Slayer still had some questions, so he chose his next words carefully.

"How do you know they're gone?"

Jellal's expression darkened, and he glanced at Laxus out of the corner of his eye again. The dishonored Counsel Member sighed. "In the last century or so, dark guilds rounded up entire families of Praesidios and drained them of blood for spells. When Praesidio blood exits the body, it's pure magic energy in liquid form. For you, eating electricity boots your power. Praesidio's blood acts in the same way, but it can amplify _any_ magic or spell for _anyone_. The older they are, the more potent the magic energy in their blood." Laxus tasted the memory of Abi's blood, and he remembered how Ximus went mad on the power.

"So you've never encountered one?"

Jellal shook his head. "Not in many years. The Grand Magic Counsel's ordered any guild that encounters a Praesidio to turn them in immediately. The counsel burned entire families at the stake to stop dark guilds from having Praesidio blood. The last known group was eradicated almost fifteen years ago by Tartoros, I believe, in their pursuit of Zeref. Unless…" His eyes flashed up at Laxus, not bothering to hide the suspicion in his voice, "I'm mistaken."

"I think _you'd_ know about that than anybody else," Laxus retorted, reflecting the accusation. He turned to glare at Jellal. The disguised wizard narrowed his eyes and took a step closer to him, his hand drifting back towards Mystogen's staffs. "I'd love to see the book where you saw the name."

Laxus showed a hint of fang as he gave Jellal a cryptic smile. "Sorry, the book's slipped my mind."

Anger flashed in Jellal's dark eyes. His words came out slowly, steeped in caution. "If you did know a Praesidio, I would be careful, Laxus. Anything Zeref creates is pure evil."

* * *

 **Dun dun dunnnnn...**

 **originally, i had this chapter in many different places throughout this story. However, I felt it was best right after the previous chapter. I separated the two because this is quite important information, which I hope answers some questions as to what a Praesidio is.**

 **Bad turns to worse in the next few chapters, so get excited (I personally love it when shit hits the fan)**

 **R &R! **


	18. Total Eclipse of the Heart

**Hey guys! Thanks for all the love/ reviews/ follows/ favorites- keep it coming, it feeds the writing soul :)**

 **On a different note, the pacing for the Grand Magic Games is changing slightly here:**

 **Basically, the last chapter was set on the third day of the Grand Magic Games (ie. Laxus's fight with Raven Tail).** **In the show, Day Four is Natsu and Gajeel vs Sting and Rogue. Day Five is a rest day. Day Six is her rescue and the championship match of GMG.**

 **For this fic, the plot is as follows:**

 **Day Four will be the off day of the Grand Magic Games where the guilds go to Ryuzestu Island, and Laxus goes on his adventure with Abi.**

 **For world of Fairy Tail, the match of Natsu and Gajeel vs Sting and Rogue/ all those events happen on Day Five, Luci gets captured that night, and her rescue/ the championship will still occur on Day Six. My goal is basically for the events of _To Catch a Thief_ to blend with the events of the anime and not disrupt it too much (since what Laxus does on the daily isn't usually covered, whose to say he _didn't_ go on these adventures?) **

**Anyway, enjoy!**

* * *

Chapter 18:

24 hours later. [Night of Day Four]

Laxus was used to days with twists and turns, hell, they'd been the regular here at the games. But Laxus did not expect a day starting with Ryuzetsu Land to end with him sitting down at a table with Lord Darton. A bright light hung above his head, illuminating the tall Dragon Slayer in the dark room. The Dragon Slayer had felt exhaustion before, he had felt drained before, but he had _never_ felt like this. Anger and betrayal swirled inside, but he was so tired and empty he couldn't actually register his feelings. Empty thoughts swirled around in his head as he listlessly stared at the short royal advisor.

"…Listening to me, Fairy Tail?" Darton barked. Laxus raised his eyebrows and said nothing.

"Let me reiterate how much _trouble_ you're in, boy. Trespassing on restricted property beneath the castle, attacking royal guards, _and_ breaking curfew."

"Not breaking curfew." The sarcastic remark came out of the Dragon Slayer's mouth before he could stop himself. The balding man turned beet red and slammed his hands down on the table.

"Guilds have been disqualified for less, Dragon Slayer!"

All he wanted to do right now was sleep. This gnat was keeping him awake. Laxus found himself spiraling into a surly mood, with thoughts and a lack-of-regard for people he hadn't felt in a _long_ time. The blonde man leaned forward.

"Disqualify my guild, half pint. You do that, and I will make sure everyone knows what's in Mercurius's basement. The Magic Counsel would be very interested to know what you're doing with all those Morphos Lacrimas."

A vein popped out in Darton's neck, and the Royal Advisor inhaled slowly. He narrowed his eyes and looked over Laxus for a moment. Then, he leaned back in his high chair, laced his fingers, and cocked his head to the side. The flush from his face faded and a cool expression slipped over his face. "Morphos lacrimas, eh?" Laxus realized he just walked into some type of trap. _Fuck._ Darton turned his head and said to a person standing in the corner, "Go fetch my files on the Edera incident."

The royal advisor turned back around and focused his beady eyes on Laxus. "So, Dragon Slayer, tell me how you know about _Morphos Lacrimas_."

—Earlier that Day—

"We better have a good reason for being down here." Laxus couldn't keep the whine out of his voice as he followed Abi through a tunnel, deep underground. Abi turned and looked at him over her shoulder. She flashed him a smile and said, "The best things are worth the wait."

Laxus was immediately taken back to last night's events. He had thought about a lot of things last night, especially their actions at the hot springs. They were so close to… _no. Not until you know her alliance._ Still, the Dragon Slayer could play ball for a bit. No harm in that.

"Oh, yeah? _Enlighten me_ , Abi." His words were rapt with innuendo, and he flashed Abi a smirk. The thief rolled her eyes, but—if his eyes didn't deceive him— a little color flushed on her cheeks. Point, Laxus.

Yet, Abi still ignored the question.

The Praesidio continued walking along the mining tunnel. The cavern stretched on for ages, and their footsteps echoed down either end. Damp, stale scents engulfed the Dragon Slayer's senses, and he found himself taking shallow breaths in the claustrophobic space. The path was uneven and narrow— he and Abi could barely fit shoulder to shoulder. The only light source came from her lacrima lantern, which flickered as they continued along underground. They had encountered different tunnels, but Abi seemed to know exactly which route at every intersection. However, Laxus could only smell her passing through here once earlier.

They continued to walk along the mining tunnels for the next half hour, or so. Occasionally, they would stumble upon a huge cavern, and the mining tracks would split. They would talk for a bit, but for the most part they walked in silence. Abi knew the route she wanted to take and kept walking confidently through the tunnels. At one cavern, she turned to Laxus and said with a smile and an awful accent, "There be dragons down there." The Dragon Slayer rolled his eyes and kept walking.

However, wherever Abi was leading Laxus, a sinking feeling in his gut continued to grow stronger. The things Jellal told him last night kept nagging the Dragon Slayer, and he wondered if Abi was truly involved with Zeref as the Praesidio reputation suggested. The uneasiness continued to grow the closer they got to their destination.

"How do you know where we're going?" Laxus asked, eyes focused on the dark tunnel ahead.

Abi shrugged and gestured to her backpack. "I stole some confidential blueprints of the castle and colosseum, so I knew the games would leave me to what we're looking for." She glanced over at Laxus, who studied her with an impassive expression, but internally, he felt somewhat impressed by the thief.

"That's why you wanted the old geezer to grant you access to the games."

Abi nodded. Then, she snorted and smiled slightly, "God, you were a pain in my ass."

"You're still a pain in mine." Laxus reminded her and felt a corner of his mouth turn up in a grin. He looked up at the ceiling of the tunnel and noticed a gleam in the rocks. The Dragon Slayer paused and a round, tubular shape extended along the top of the tunnel for as long as the eye could see. Was it a… pipeline? And why was it slightly glowing?

How could he have not noticed it before? Abi noticed Laxus stopped walking with her, and she pivoted just in time to see him reaching up towards the pipe.

"No!" She ran at Laxus and attempted to tackle him to the ground. The Dragon Slayer looked down at her in surprise and lowered his arm. Abi groaned against his torso and muttered something about _"…like hitting a brick wall."_

Abi straightened and put her hands on her hips. Once again, he and Abi were very close together. He was confused as to why the Praesidio's eyes were flaring and angry.

"Don't touch that! _Ever_! That pipeline goes _straight_ for the Morphos Lacrimas— it's how they pull magic from the games. Touching it might kill you."

Laxus scowled. "Thanks for the warning ahead of time."

Abi growled in frustration and spun on her heel. Her hair followed and sent a wave of cinnamon and vanilla toward Laxus. She took a few steps back and exhaled, smoothing back her hair. "Come on. We're almost there." The thief turned around and started walking. Laxus glanced back up at the pipeline and wondered if it was pulling his magic energy right now.

"Abi. Enough games. Where are we going? Why am I here? _What_ is going on?"

She stopped and groaned. "Laxus, we're on a time schedule right now."

The Dragon Slayer stared at her with cold grey eyes. The thief shifted in discomfort. "Tell me what the hell we're doing here, or I'm turning around."

The thief glanced at him sharply. "Oh, come on. You want me to tell you _outright_ why I brought you?"

The woman sounded genuinely surprised and annoyed at Laxus, as though honesty was such an inconvenience to her. It probably was. The Dragon Slayer stopped and folded his arms. "Yes, Abi, so give me a straight answer for once."

The thief scowled and continued to walk for a few more steps. "I need… help getting the Morphos Lacrimas." A shaky exhale followed. She turned around, her hair whipping around at the movement. "I don't have enough power to loosen the lacrima from its binding. There, happy?!"

Laxus knit his eyebrows. "You want me to help you steal something?" He put up his hands. "No way."

Abi scowled and folded her arms. "Laxus, do you think I'd bring you down here, so you could _get in my way?_ "

"I came down here because you asked."

Abi huffed and stomped her foot angrily, "Well now you're putting this all on me."

"Don't start arguing to avoid talking about this."

Abi stomped back toward him, "I am not trying to argue with you, you pig-headed asshole!"

Laxus folded his arms and looked down at her as she came to stand in front of him. "Name calling, now?" Abi opened her mouth, then shut it. She turned away from him and crossed her arms. Laxus took a step back to lean against the cavern wall. He could wait for her response.

A silence lapsed between them.

"You know what I am," Abi finally spoke. She glanced at the Dragon Slayer out of the corner of her eye nervously. "But you're one of the few people who hasn't tried to use me. Even your grandfather wanted my blood." Laxus didn't respond, and another silence lapsed between them. She sighed. "So, I'm _trying_ to trust you, I guess. But it's hard. I don't trust people."

Laxus snorted, "Clearly." Abi cast him a dark look and waved her hands. "I'm trying to open up, here!"

The Dragon Slayer brushed some dust off the shoulder of his jacket. "I know all this, Abi. You're stalling."

Abi pinched the bridge of her nose and took a deep breath. "Laxus, I'm practicing extreme self control right now." Laxus bit back a remark of _"You don't have self control_ " and instead shrugged and waited for her to get back to the point. The Praesidio frowned and walked over to lean against the wall beside Laxus. She kicked a loose stone and it clattered against the old metal railroad line.

Abi sighed and stared at her feet. "When Praesidios die, there are three basic things that can happen to our bodies. The first, is a standard burial like any normal person. The second, well, you can drain us of all the blood in our body and preserve it for power. It's the most concentrated power-up a wizard can receive. The third…" She sighed. "If a Praesidio is powerful enough, a sacred ritual can be performed immediately after death. It captures the soul and power of a Praesidio and transforms their being into a lacrima— a Morphos Lacrima."

Laxus processed what Abi just told him. "So, that's the reason you've gone after them all this time."

The woman beside him nodded slowly, still holding the light. It flickered on her face and sent shadows across the rocks. "I'm the last Praesidio alive. Six other lineages have been hunted to extinction." Abi turned her head away from Laxus and wrapped her arms around herself. She took a deep breath and continued.

"My mom died protecting me and my father. I was just a child, but I remember my father rescued my mother's corpse and had me preform the ritual on my mother." Abi shuddered slightly. Laxus's mouth drew into a tight line and couldn't find any words. The thief's grim story wasn't over: "Years later, when my father was murdered by a dark guild, I left everything and ran. I left my mother's morphos lacrima behind for them to use."

Abi took a deep, shaky breath and wiped a tear from her cheek. "I could always feel a connection to the lacrima. But I wasn't brave enough to search for it until last year."

Laxus paused a moment, filled with a deep sympathy he had never experienced for Abi before. So, this is what she wanted all along. Maybe things Zeref created weren't evil. "And it's here?" He asked her.

Abi nodded, her eyes were closed. "It's here. They have one lacrima from each lineage here."

The Dragon Slayer looked at the woman beside him. She looked tired and stressed. For the first time, he saw her as human. Laxus felt himself soften.

"Alright." He told her. "I'll help you."

Laxus stopped when he could smell people. Abi turned and looked at the Dragon Slayer in confusion. "People up ahead," He told her.

"Ah." The thief didn't seem surprised and resumed walking. Laxus grudgingly followed suit. Abi focused up ahead, "They're top-secret Palace Guards."

Laxus stopped again. Abi noticed his halt and she turned around. "What now? Cold feet?"

"I can't assault palace guards, Abi."

She smiled. "You don't have to." The thief pulled the pack off of her back and swung it around. The blonde woman knelt down and unzipped the bag. She began sifting through its content; Laxus peered over the edge. Inside were a series of grappling hooks, ropes, powders, and… "Guard uniforms— seriously?" The Dragon Slayer couldn't keep the contempt out of his voice. Abi looked up and raised an eyebrow. "What, the mighty Laxus Dreyar hasn't had to disguise himself before?" The thief smirked and pulled out a purple and gold chainmail shirt. He frowned. "Can't say I have."

She pulled the clothes out of the bag and stood up. Abi put her hands on her hips and looked him over. "Lose the shirt. Your pants are fine."

Laxus made a face and shrugged off his coat. He was wearing a black button-down beneath the thick coat; he began to unbutton the shirt. When Dragon Slayer made eye-contact with Abi, he realized she had been eyeing him the entire time. He paused on the second to last button and smiled devilishly. "See something you like?"

Abi's eyes blatantly roamed Laxus's torso for a bit longer, and then she shrugged. "Nope." The thief didn't even turn around as she began to peel the light grey long-sleeve off her torso. Laxus grinned and picked up the armored top.

He sent a few glances toward the thief as she undressed a few feet away from him, but the Dragon Slayer was mostly focused on trying to put this shirt on. Laxus managed to put an arm through the sleeve, but there was no way the shirt was going past his shoulder.

"Might have to change your plans, Abi."

"Huh?" She twisted around and looked at Laxus. A laugh escaped her, and she quickly smothered it. Abi sighed and nodded to his coat. "Guess we can't play dress-up today." She laughed, but it sounded forced.

 _Thank god_ , Laxus thought as he pulled off the chainmail. He tossed the guard uniform on the ground and dressed himself. Abi tucked the uniforms back in the bottom of her bag. Laxus folded his arms and waited for her.

The Praesidio stood up and frowned at the Dragon Slayer. She fidgeted slightly with her backpack strap. "Now we're gonna have to do Plan B."

From her tone, Plan B didn't sound good.

Plan B was not good.

Abi explained that the tunnel she found went underneath the basement of Mercurius Castle, where the lacrimas were kept in some big mechanical door. She managed to find a secret entrance into this underground hall, but, unfortunately, there were guards posted there regularly. Abi originally planned to relieve them of their post by posing as guards, but Abi's new plan was simple: distraction.

" _Why do you have explosives?" Laxus asked her. Abi smiled evilly at the Dragon Slayer._

" _For moments like this."_

Abi set off the explosives while Laxus waited underneath the secret entrance. He heard her running and then the walls of the mining tunnels shook. The guards, alarmed at the possible presence of magic users, raced towards the explosion, leaving the lacrimas unprotected. It was clear the guards' purpose was to keep people out: no one thought the anyone could steal anything from the door.

Abi predicted they maybe had three minutes at most to get the lacrima and go.

" _I wanted to take all seven of them," she told Laxus crossly, "But now I'm going to have to make sure I get the right one."_

Laxus moved the floor tile aside and pulled himself up and into the hall. Abi followed. The hall was massive, with high ceilings and pillars in the shape of hooded sorcerers holding staffs. Light lacrimas glowed above the dark stone staffs, illuminating the intricate, ancient stone work patterns on the ceilings and walls. Laxus was pulled back to memories long ago, when Makarov took him to see Mercurius castle as a child. The palace seemed gargantuan then. Now, almost fifteen years later, in the basement of that same castle, Laxus felt small once again.

The Dragon Slayer turned away from the long hallway and faced what he and Abi came for. About fifteen meters away, a gigantic door towered above them. Massive stone steps lead up to the door, which had both ancient runes and new technology incorporated in it. Thick grey stone made up the structure, but gold and bronze piping lined it. Green and deep purple— the colors of the king— adorned the front. The top of the gilded door curved over, like the face of a clock. Thick pipes connected the door to the floor and walls and disappeared to who knows where. Twelve pipes marked the top half of the door, and gold pipes ran to the center piece. The center piece looked like a cross between a compass rose and a sun, with a giant gold orb in the middle and triangle symmetrically turning out from it. However, as Laxus looked closer at the orb, he realized it was made up of smaller parts: seven different orbs, to be exact.

 _The seven different lacrimas._

The Dragon Slayer looked at Abi, who also stared at the door. "So, this is where all the power from the magic games is going?"

She nodded and began walking towards the steps. Laxus followed a few paces behind, sniffing the air suspiciously. They climbed the steps up to the door, and the feeling of uneasiness grew into a deep, instinctual feeling. The nearer he was to the door, the more the Dragon Slayer felt they needed to leave. Abi kept sneaking glances at Laxus with an unreadable expression.

Laxus looked around and folded his powerful arms. "Let's just get this over with."

Abi nodded and set her backpack down. "I need to get up there." She pointed at the seven lacrimas overhead. Laxus raised an eyebrow at her. "Want me to transport us up there?" The Praesidio shook her head and looked him over. "Save your strength. I'm gonna climb up there and then you're gonna hit it with your magic."

 _Save my strength? She knows what I'm capable of._ Laxus furrowed his brow but didn't say anything.

The thief walked up to the door and put her hand on it. It hummed with power, and Laxus shifted uneasily. The magic within this hall felt very similar to Abi last night. It felt old and evil. She didn't seem bothered by it. Abi reached for a large gold beam and began her climb up the door.

Laxus watched her nimbly maneuver herself up the doorway and settle on a large gold triangle, meant to replicate a beam of sunlight. The seven gold morphos lacrimas gleamed, even in the dim hall.

Abi ran her palms over the orbs and closed her eyes, scanning for some type of magical sign. The Praesidio opened her eyes and pointed to a lacrima in the center. Laxus watched with an unreadable expression, his jaw clenched tightly.

This didn't feel right. Abi withdrew a small dagger from her thigh tried to pry the gold lacrima out of the socket with the knife's tip. Two minutes down— they didn't have much time left. Abi growled under her breath and looked down at Laxus.

"There's a seal here. I can't break it."

"Use your powers," He called back up to her. Abi scowled and barked back, "I have! You need to try!"

Laxus scowled. "Fine." He did tell her he would help. _Just one little blast._ He waved his hand toward the morphos lacrima and a bolt of lightning struck it. For a moment, nothing happened. Then, all the morphos lacrimas began to glow and the door hummed to life. The world began to shake. It sent out vibrations that the Dragon Slayer felt through his bones. Laxus grit his teeth and felt the world begin to tremble. Like a punctured sandbag, magic power began pouring out of the Dragon Slayer's body. "What the hell is this?" He snarled and looked down at the magic energy being pulled from him. Laxus tried to hold onto his power. It didn't make a difference- his magic was pried out of his body and flowed toward Abi, perched atop the gate.

Movements were becoming increasingly difficult. Laxus managed to turn his head and look up at her. For some reason, the Praesidio didn't look surprised. She waited patiently, watching all of Laxus's magic energy be ripped from his body.

The Dragon snarled at Abi and tried to form words, but she simply watched him with calculating eyes. The morphos lacrima glowed and sparked with electricity— his electricity. Laxus stumbled back a step and tried to summon an attack, but his power too depleted. Dark spots filled his vision as Laxus fell to his knees.

His body grew extremely heavy and his breathing slowed. Everything felt fuzzy. It would be so easy to pass out… _She was just using me the whole time_ , he realized. Laxus grit his teeth and fell forward onto his hands. Somewhere above him, Abi grunted and pried the Morphos Lacrima out of the gate. She jumped down and landed a few steps before the Dragon Slayer. Laxus could barely lift his head— what was happening to him? He gasped for breath as the world turned inside out.

Abi knelt down and put her hand under his chin. She tiled his head up to look at her. The Praesidio's eyes were liquid gold, and she sighed. Abi opened her mouth and said something, but Laxus couldn't hear her.

His eyesight swam, and his arms gave out from under him. He fell onto the floor. Everything went black.

* * *

 **Dun dun dunnnn. I hope you enjoy!**


	19. Interrogation

Chapter 19

Laxus remained silent. Until the Dragon Slayer sorted out his thoughts and emotions, he refused to answer the short man. Why did Abi set him up? _Because I wouldn't have helped otherwise._ Was the story about her mother a lie? She played Laxus like a fiddle, knowing exactly what heartstrings to play.

" _Blood and self,"_ his father's voice taunted him. _"Blood and self above all else."_ Laxus wasn't sure how a part of him had come to care for that backstabbing woman, but clearly these past few days at the games with her had changed something. Laxus understood all these signs pointed to her being evil, to being in league with Zeref. But the Dragon Slayer felt there was an important piece missing to this puzzle.

Darton did not fidget in his seat or become uncomfortable with the silence. Instead, the royal advisor with the powerful eyebrows glowered back. When the assistant came back in the small room, he placed a thick folder before Darton. The title of it read: Edera Attack — CLASSIFIED.

The Royal Advisor began to flip through its content. At first, Laxus didn't recognize what he was seeing. Bodies, charred from fire, littered the pages. Medic mages and fire-fighters saving others. A section of the castle lay in absolute ruins—all that remained was the stone skeleton of its structure, which was blackened and charcoaled.

"Four people died due to this _electrical_ fire," Darton kept flipping through. He kept his eyes fixed on the pages. These images looked familiar; Laxus tried to ignore the sinking feeling in his gut.

"When did this happen?"

"Within the three days your guild took a job from the Imperico family, and _the day_ after you arrived in Edera." Darton produced an image of a gaunt, hook nosed man in fine robes. Laxus recognized the image immediately. The Dragon Slayer bristled and said, "He was a madman."

" _Ximus_ was hand-selected for a top-secret task, issued by the King of Fiore himself." Darton's voice was sharp, and the Dragon Slayer realized he hit a nerve. However, Laxus was so tired, he didn't care.

"Gathering lacrimas?" he snorted. "He tortured people and creatures."

Darton's eyes narrowed. "Yes, he did. Although we had long since ended our active search for lacrimas, Ximus became obsessed. I cannot justify his actions and he was a fool to hire wizards in order to continue his obsession. But whatever Ximus was, he did not deserve this."

The royal advisor flipped one more page and revealed a series of photos showing a mutilated corpse. The man Laxus knew as Ximus hung upside-down from a ceiling. His throat had been sliced open and all the blood drained from his body, onto the floor below. Ximus's leg contorted in awkward angles, showing that someone had clearly tortured him before killing him. Laxus got a sick feeling in his stomach. _Praesidios are usually killed through people draining them of all blood._

This was intentional.

This was revenge.

This was a message.

"This room was the only one warded from the fire. All of Ximus's research and experiments were found by a fireman, which included explicit details from Ximus's orders from years ago— the fool kept records and notes of everything. It was almost a PR nightmare."

The Dragon Slayer stared at the images, his brain becoming numb from shock.

"We accepted that someone fraudulently used Fairy Tail's name. We even overlooked the presence of your magic residue at the sight of the fire. ' _Give them the benefit of the doubt,'_ the King insisted." Darton snapped the folder shut. "But now that you're here, having been at both Ximus's lab and the Eclipse Gate. Now, I believe in a lot of things, but coincidences _aren't_ one of them."

"' _Anything Zeref creates is pure evil_ ,'" Laxus muttered to himself. He should have listened to Jellal. He should have done a lot of things differently. The Dragon Slayer closed his eyes. Abi did all of this. He knew she did. Anger and resentment flared at this surface, but he ultimately felt hollow. He was so tired… so tired of all this shit. After his father, Laxus should have realized he couldn't trust anyone. What little trust he gave to Abi, she destroyed.

This was the line. Abi crossed it.

"What was that?" Darton asked sharply, his face gone pale. Laxus looked up, his chest tight.

"I said…" He thought for a moment. Did he really want to do this? _Yes_. "What you're looking for is a Praesidio."

* * *

 **So I made this a separate chapter because its content is so important to the story.**

 **If you go wayyyy back to the beginning of this fic, Laxus tells Abi he wants to leave the castle/ not to kill anyone else, but after Abi drained him of energy and deposited him on the ship, she went back and cleaned up the mess. Of course, her magic signature doesn't show up due to its nature, but Laxus's magic is all over the crime scene.**

 **Laxus exposing Abi to the Royal Army? Completely understandable, but also not good for our femme-fatale.**

 **Chaos will ensue! R &R :)**


	20. Devilish Deals

**Chapter 20:**

Abi was packing her things when the guards arrived.

"Fuck." She muttered under her breath. Abi knew she should've killed Laxus when she had the chance.

It was dark out by the time she had just made it back from the colosseum tunnels. When Abi arrived at the small inn, dawn was just starting to break. Exhaustion and a plethora of emotions tugged at her bones when she stumbled into her room. But most notably, there was a tightness in her chest that followed her from the Mercurius hall, something that made it hard to breathe. Everything had gone according to plan, but when Laxus collapsed, she couldn't bring herself to kill him.

Shouting downstairs interrupted Abi's thoughts. Why was she getting distracted like this? She knew time was of the essence. The Praesidio pulled a bag out from under her bed. What happened in the castle didn't matter now. Abi had to assume Laxus sold her out, and the Royal Family knew of her existence. Anger flared. _Good. I can use anger._ That Dragon Slayer was just like everyone else. He used her for his own gain. She opened up to him and he betrayed her. Abi ignored her own hypocrisy and allowed her rage to fuel her power. Laxus Dreyer always believed she was bad, always believed she had an ulterior motive. People only saw Abi as one thing…

 _They want me to be a Praesidio?_

 _Fine._ Abi uncoiled the leather wrap. _I'll be a Praesidio._

Inside the leather bag lay a simple gold breastplate with silver detailing. She took an unsteady breath and picked up the armor. It was lightweight, evenly balanced, and intricately designed. Upon strapping it to her frame, the armor latched onto her. Through magic, it seized her body and spread from her chest, over her shoulders, down her arms, and up to her fingertips. The silver began to glow white as it tapped into Abi's power, and the form-fitting armor hummed to life with her magic. The Praesidio looked at the belt beneath it— she didn't have time to put on the full armor with the spaulders and gauntlets. She grabbed the white cloak and wrapped it around herself. She grabbed a pair of gold daggers and strapped the holster to her waist. Abi shoved everything she had in her bag and slung it over her shoulder. She bolted for the window and opened the frame. Guards were posted by the exit, and at least 10 in the streets. Soldiers set up a perimeter for the early morning. How did she not hear them before?

Heavy footsteps thudded outside her door. _Shit_.

The Praesidio knew her ward would hold them for a few more seconds. Abi pulled up her hood and unsheathed her daggers. Guards began to pound at the door.

A pressure began to build in her mind as they began to throw their bodies against the door. Abi heard the elderly inn keeper begin to run down the stairs, yelling at the guards below. Her magic ward would hold for now, but time was of the essence. It kept them out, and trapped Abi inside. No sense in allowing the ward to stay up while the guards could gather in numbers and eventually break it.

 _Three…_ SLAM! … _Two…_ SLAM! … One… Abi exhaled.

The door swung open and a guard crashed through. He fell on the floor and two more tripped forward. Three guards stood behind him, crossbows aimed and ready to fire. _Six guards at the moment._

"We're through!" They shouted and began to fire mercilessly at Abi.

The thief closed her teal eyes and exhaled; the Praesidio opened them, and her irises glowed gold.

The arrows streaked towards the girl, but she held out her hand. The bolts hit an invisible wall of magic energy and disintegrated harmlessly. The soldiers fired another volley of arrows to the same result. They faltered as the Praesidio pressed forward. The guard on the ground rose to his feet and rushed Abi, swinging a magic-disrupting staff. The staff cut through her wall of magic, but Abi nimbly sidestepped his overhead swing. She quickly unsheathed her dagger, tripped the guard, and stabbed him in the back, just where his pauldron exposed simple chainmail between his shoulder blades.

The other guard followed with a sword, rushing her from the left. Abi parried his blade's thrust, pivoted closer to him, and withdrew her other dagger to cut his forearm. The guard cried out and dropped his blade. Abi grabbed his arm and spun him around, easily throwing him out the window.

The other guard seemed to be some type of mage. He yelled as he cast a spell at Abi, and runes circle ignited around her feet. The Praesidio paused for a step. Then she smiled. Dark energy seemed to smack the atmosphere.

The magic circle flickered and disappeared. Abi's eyes glowed even brighter as she absorbed the magic and kept advancing. The soldier paled but focused on casting another spell.

He never got the chance.

In a flash, the Praesidio had her hand under his throat. She lifted him off the ground. He cried out as she absorbed his magic. She depleted his reserves until the mage went limp. Then, Abi dropped him on the floor; he crumpled at her feet, shaking from magic deficiency. Abi stepped through the doorway and looked up at the three guards wielding the crossbows. They had retreated to the staircase, hoping to gain the upper ground.

"We need backup!" One yelled into his lacrima transmitter.

The three guards wielding crossbows fired at Abi. Their arrows hit her magic barrier again, and Abi felt herself grin. It felt good to flex her powers again. She stalked up the staircase, her magic aura causing the projectiles to wither in its presence.

More guards began to pour into the inn, forming a line as they ran up the staircase. The glanced down at them, momentarily distracted. Her barrier faltered, and an arrow broke through, hitting her gold armor with a _PING!_

The Praesidio snapped her attention back to the guards. _Fucker_. Abi threw her dagger at the man who fired the lucky shot. The blade imbedded itself in his shoulder and he dropped to his knees in pain. Abi sent a wave of magic power towards the other two, hoping to topple them to their knees. Instead, the light wave passed around them harmlessly.

 _Nullifying armor._ Not good. That meant Abi had to take each one of them out individually. The Praesidio grit her teeth and darted up the stairs, pursuing the retreating guards. She really wanted an escape route. They were in her way.

Abi closed the gap between them. One soldier panicked and tripped over a stair. He fell onto his butt and the crossbow fell from his hand, loosing a rogue arrow. Abi concentrated her power into her arm, amplifying her strength, and punched the guard into the far wall. When her fist connected with the guard, she released the energy, causing him to crash through the wall and into the rooms on the other side of the inn.

Someone inside the room screamed at an unwelcome arrival and Abi saw her opportunity. She sprinted through the hole in the wall, into the room with the dazed guard and a _very_ indecent couple, who had been so consumed in their copulation they failed to notice all the commotion outside. Abi glanced at the naked pair and told them, "Thanks for the window."

She leapt through the glass; it shattered as she free-fell from the two stories into a back alley.

The glass and the Praesidio landed in the back alley.

As soon as her feet touched the ground, guards poured from either end of the alley, successfully cutting her off from either end. Through the hole Abi made in the window, more guards lined up with crossbows, ready to fire. The Praesidio was completely and utterly surrounded.

The Praesidio looked down at the blades in her hands. She could still fight.

Huh. She looked past the blades and noticed an interesting new development. There was a grate underneath her feet.

She looked up and around. If she took out all these guards, people would be sure to notice. It wouldn't be hard for other guilds to join in. Not to mention, her notoriety would sky rocket, and then, Zeref's followers would learn of her. The sea of guards parted as a towering knight walked through.

"Praesidio," He called to her, "Return what has been stolen, and we shall spare your life."

Abi snorted and studied the knight beneath her hood. The man had tan skin, thick black hair, and a neatly trimmed beard. His armor only exemplified his towering size, and he glared down at her beneath his thick eyebrows.

"Yeah, right," She muttered under her breath and the Knight placed a hand to his chest. "On my honor, as captain of the Cherry Blossom Holy Knight Squadron. Just return what is ours."

"' _Yours_?!'" Abi mocked, and white energy began to smoke off her cloak. She clenched her fists, "I'll show you what belongs to you."

The Guards put up their shields as Abi began to hum with energy. The Knight Captain did not hide behind a shield— the fool. Instead, he withdrew his sword. Abi glared venomously at him and slammed her foot down. A shock wave of energy blasted the group through the ground, and the Knight Captain fell to his knees.

However, Abi's shock wave also functioned as a flash bomb, which temporarily blinded the soldiers. When the ground settled, and their eyes readjusted to the dim dawn lighting, guards began to peak out from behind their shields. One gasped and exclaimed, "She's gone!"

Arcadios' expression grew dour. He rose to his feet and sheathed his sword. "Fan out, she cannot have gone far. Search everything! We can't let her escape." The Knight stalked forward to where Abi was standing. He looked down at the grate. It was slightly uneven, like someone had moved it aside.

The thief was already gone, running as fast as possible through the drainage system. Arcadios smiled and turned to a soldier. "Cease the street searches and notify all guards to be alert for any suspicious behavior. I want at least three teams into the city pipes, _now_. Place sentries at every entrance to the city. Keep this quiet; we can't risk the Grand Magic Counsel getting involved."

…

Abi hid in the drainage tunnels of Crocus for hours. It had been over fifteen years since she had been pursued as a Praesidio, and now was not a good trip down memory lane. Now how was she supposed to trade this lacrima? The thief's steps echoed in the stone tunnel as she tried to devise a plan.

As the thief neared a storm drain, a piece of paper floated down from the street. Abi stopped and looked down at the scrap. The paper was in the shape of a small doll. _Fuck._ The Praesidio pulled out her daggers.

"This is sloppy, even for you, Praesidio." A voice behind her called.

Abi spun around to face the voice. A figure slowly emerged from the shadows. Her eyes narrowed and scanned her surroundings. Were there other threats around her? With this wizard, reality seemed to slip away. A tall man in gold and black armor came into Abi's view. He didn't wear a mask this time, but a familiar black cloak lined by grey feathers rested easily around his shoulders. His face was articulated by a well trimmed, black beard, a long nose, and powerful eyebrows. The large man radiated an aura of calculated chaos, and his unnerving black eyes shined in the tunnel's shadows.

"Fuck off," Abi retorted and glared at the man.

"if I didn't know any better, I'd think you were emotionally affected by something." He grinned cruelly at the thief, "Or someone."

She gritted her teeth. Was he suggesting she was emotionally attached to Laxus? Anger bubbled in Abi's chest, trying to replace that heavy feeling in her stomach. He sighed and ran a hand through his hair.

"You're lucky I've been casting illusions in the tunnels, keeping the guards away from you all day. Can't let you get arrested before our deal is over." _Am I also a part of this illusion? Are there guards here now?_ Unease settled over the thief. She hated being dependent on someone else's magic. Especially when that person could easily lower his illusion and she'd be back at square one, swarmed by guards.

Abi glanced over her shoulder. He closed the gap between himself and Abi, and the thief looked up at him with a cool expression. This was business. She could do business.

"Let's just get this over with, Ivan."

— Yesterday. After the Games and Before the Hot Springs —

Abi was not quite sure what she was doing, standing before the jail cell of a Dark Guild Master. Well, she did. She had found what she was looking for today beneath the castle— the morphos lacrimas— but she couldn't separate them from the gate. Now, she was at her wits end, unsure of what to do. Obra's display of magic still bothered her, so Abi decided to follow her gut and it led her to the city jail, where Raven Tail waited in separate cells. Obra was completely unresponsive when she asked the wizard questions, but his guild master overheard her.

"He's not in a talkative mood, Abi. But lucky for you, I am."

And so, Abi found herself asking the person who might know something about the silent wizard with the strange magic.

"Now _this_ is a surprise." Ivan leaned forward, grinning as he looked over the young woman standing on the other side of his cell. "And quite a risk for you."

Ivan was still dressed in the dark robes and gold armor, but his face was exposed. Magic suppression cuffs remained secure around his wrists, yet the Praesidio still felt the guild master had the upper hand.

Abi folded her arms, "You said you would talk, so talk."

A wide smile broke across Ivan's face. "I saw you at the games today, beside my son. He seems to take quite a shine to you, the poor boy."

Abi ignored the bait and leaned forward, "Tell me about Obra."

Ivan shrugged, a gesture shockingly similar to Laxus. Abi suppressed a shiver. "I'm surprised you don't know. With powers so similar, you two should be old friends. You're practically related."

Abi scowled and folded her arms. "I don't remember him in the family picture. So speak clearly."

The Raven Tail Guild Master's smile was cruel, "Out of respect for my _children's privacy_ ," his voice dripped with derision and sarcasm, "I'll only tell you what you want to know in exchange for something else."

Abi scowled. _Of course you would._ "What do you want?"

"You're aware of the morphos lacrimas in the castle, yes?"

Abi's eyes widened, and Ivan smirked, nodding shortly. "Of course, you are. That's because six of those seven lacrimas are from the original seven Praesidios. Anyone sensitive to _that_ kind of power can feel it." Ivan motioned for Abi to lean in. The thief, despite her better judgement, found herself pressing her ear against the bars. Ivan's breath tickled the side of her face as he said, "Steal the lacrimas for me, and I'll give you what you've been searching for the past year."

Abi straightened and backed away from Ivan's cell. She needed to leave, right now. _Or kill him._

He must have been bluffing— she had told no one about her search. The Praesidio planted her feet and forced a laugh. "Even if I wanted to, I can't. I've tried."

Ivan cocked his head to the side and put his hands on the bars. "You are perhaps the only person who _can_ steal them. If the lacrimas are fully charged with magic energy, you can drain their seal and take the lacrimas."

Abi's brows knit together and pulled back from the bars. "How do you know so much about all this?"

"You're not the only one whose been gathering Morphos Lacrimas."

Abi's eyes widened. _Run!_ Her instincts screamed. Ivan was a _Dark Guild Master_ ; he knew what she was. But if he claimed to have what Abi wanted… against her better judgement, the thief remained rooted in front of the cell.

"Obra has a special connection to them. And he told me the lacrima I found came from the last Praesidio alive. That is, until I met you." _Ivan has my mother's lacrima?_

Abi's eyes widened, and Ivan looked at her knowingly. "I think fate has brought us together."

— Currently—

The thief pulled her backpack off her shoulders. She opened the bag and dug out a large gold orb. Ivan Dreyar withdrew an identical lacrima from beneath his dark cloak. He smiled widely, and a chill went down Abi's spine. This felt wrong. _"It is wrong!"_ Abi's father's voice shouted in her head. Her ancestors were rolling in her grave. The thief knew a First Praesidio Lacrima was much more powerful than the one he possessed. But Abi was not in a position to fight and the guild master knew it. A fight against him would require her to exhibit too much power; at the moment, the thief had an opportunity to get out of Crocus alive.

Still, Abi hesitated to give the cloaked man the lacrima. Ivan grinned and extended the Morphos Lacrima and Abi mirrored him slowly. Her eyes fixated on the gold orb in his palm, and her heartbeat jumped when she touched it. _Mom_. It was her mother's lacrima, Abi could feel it.

The thief dropped the First Praesido's Lacrima in Ivan's hand and snatched the other Morphos Lacrima from him. Upon touching the familiar lacrima, an overwhelming sense of warmth crashed over Abi. She fell to her knees, cradling the orb into her chest. Feelings Abi had not experienced in years flooded her body. Happy memories of childhood and safety— of love— made her eyes grow hot and a sob racked her body. Tears slipped down Abi's cheeks. _Mom, mom, mom,_ was all Abi could think as a weight left her shoulders. Everything would be alright now— she had reclaimed the last of her family.

Laughter interrupted Abi's moment. Reality flooded back. The thief scrambled backwards from the guild master, clutching her mother's morphos lacrima. "You're so pathetic, Praesidio. Are you really the last of Zeref's Sentinels?" Ivan titled his head back and howled with laughter. "No wonder your kind went extinct!"

Abi bristled, power spiking off her skin. Ivan stopped laughing as he sensed the Praesidio's magic power appear. He snapped his head back to focus on her predatorily. "You're not stupid enough to fight me right now. Get out of Crocus while you can."

The thief picked herself up off the ground, reigning her magic energy back in. Abi's teal eyes narrowed. "You aren't going to feed me to the guards now?"

Ivan rolled his eyes. "I'm not like _you_ , Praesidio." The Raven Tail guild master was clearly referring to Laxus; the barb cut deeper than expected. Abi watched Ivan warily and didn't say anything.

"Besides, even if this business is finished, I know we'll work together again."

Now it was Abi's turn to laugh. She let out a short burst of laughter and knit her eyebrows together, wiping her cheeks dry. "If the guards weren't on my ass at the moment, I'd kill you, Ivan."

The dark-haired man nodded and stroked his beard. "I know how business works with you, Praesidio. 'Blood and self above all else.'"

The thief scowled— how did Ivan learn the Praesidio code? The dark guild master continued speaking before she could ask.

"But you're a useful resource. Despite the fact that my insufferable son turned you into the authorities, I think you've made a rather _special_ impact on him. I intend to use that to my advantage, one way or another."

A numbness fell over Abi at the mention of Laxus. She glanced away and tried to steel over the heavy emotion that settled over her. Ivan noticed the Praesidio's change in demeanor and laughed at her pale expression. "Don't tell me you're _surprised._ This should be good news. I'd expect you'd want revenge on the man who completely undermined all those people who died to protect you."

The thief glared at the dark-haired wizard. The gold orb in her hand suddenly felt a little heavier. Ivan was right. Her father, her mother, the Blue Phoenix guild— all had sacrificed themselves to help her remain hidden from Zeref's deranged followers. Abi felt a deep, burning hatred sweep over her guilt about Laxus. _All of this is mess is because I didn't kill him_ , the Praesidio decided. And all of this would go away if Laxus went away. The Praesidio's lips pressed into a thin line and her teal eyes hardened.

Ivan walked forward until he was an arms-length away before the thief. The guild master gave her an almost tender smile and reached his hand forward to brush a strand of hair off of Abi's face. The Praesidio did not react to his surprisingly gentle touch, and she stared up at Ivan coldly. His hand moved down to put his hand under her chin. The dark-haired man tilted the Praesidio's head up slightly; her expression never shifted from its cold demeanor. The guild master's smile grew into a toothy grin at her stolidity.

"Let me give you a little advice about my son, Praesidio. With the magic like yours, you could remove the Dragon Slayer lacrima out of him— depowering him, permanently."

The thief remembered the feeling of Laxus's lacrima at the hot-spring. The ancient lacrima pulled to her. Ivan was right. Still, the thief played dumb. She arched a brow.

"How?"

The dark-haired man didn't remove his hand from Abi's face. "All you need to do is apply the right amount of force on the entry-point." Ivan's other gloved hand touched Abi's eyebrow lightly. "Right… here." He traced a zig-zag shape over her eye and cheek bone. The thief's eyes widened slightly in realization. _Laxus's scar._

The blonde woman stepped away from Ivan and sneered at him. "Thanks for the tip, I'll be sure to never take it into consideration." The Raven Tail guild master smiled his unnerving smile and adjusted his cloak.

"Until we meet again." Smoke enveloped the guild master and obscured Ivan from Abi's view. She pulled out a dagger and braced herself for an attack. However, none came. The smoke cleared, and Abi was left alone in the drainage tunnel; one paper doll lay beside her foot.

The thief stood there with her mother's Morphos Lacrima in one hand and a dagger in the other. She had speared a piece of Ivan's jacket with her dagger. _Perfect_. Abi glanced up at the drainage gate overhead; a pair of guards were talking aimlessly. The thief frowned. She'd have to be very careful in her current predicament. But all her emotions of guilt and anger stabilized through rationalization. The thief felt confident in her new objective: kill Laxus Dreyar.

* * *

 **Hello hello!**

 **I'm actually very surprised that I'm staying with this story for so long, but shout out to the Guest who leaves reviews- it genuinely keeps me going/ writing.**

 **Side: I always thought they set up Ivan to be the big bad at the beginning of the series, and then just sorta half-assed his story close with the games. Also, the emotional turmoil Laxus must have felt fighting his father... like what the hell was that emotional transformation? The Dreyars have SO much to unpack; their family dynamics are so dramatic and interesting and not really developed by the show (at least with Ivan)...so this story is my (slight) solution to that.**

 **R &R :)**


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